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NOTES, 

EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, 
ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL 



TO THE 



EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS, 
AND COLOSSIANS. 



By ALBERT BARNES, 

1 

AUTHOR OF " NOTES ON THE PSALMS," "LECTURES ON THE EVIDENCES 
OF CHRISTIANITY," ETC., ETC. 



REVISED EDITION. 




NEW YORK: 
HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 

FRANKLIN SQUARE. 

18 7-3. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by Abby A 
Barnes and William Purves, Executors of the Will of Albert Barnes 
deceased, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



INTRODUCTION. 



§ 1. The Situation of Ephesus, and the Character of its People. 

This epistle purports to have been written to the " saints in Ephe- 
sus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus," though, as we shall see, the 
fact of its having been directed to the Church at Ephesus has been 
called in question. Assuming now that it was sent to Ephesus, it is 
of importance to have a general view of the situation of that city, of 
the character of its people, and of the time and manner in which the 
Gospel was introduced there, in order to a correct understanding of 
the epistle. Ephesus was a celebrated city of Ionia in Asia Minor, 
and was about 40 miles south of Smyrna, and near the mouth of the 
River Cayster. The river, though inferior in beauty to the Meander 
which flows south of it, waters a fertile vale of the ancient Ionia. 
Ionia was the most beautiful and fertile part of Asia Minor ; was 
settled almost wholly by Greek colonies, and unbosomed Pergamos, 
Smyrna, Ephesus, and Miletus. See Travels of Anacharsis, i. 91, 208 ; 
vi. 192, 97, 98. The climate of Ionia is represented as remarkably 
mild, and the air as pure and sweet, and this region became early cele- 
brated for every thing that constitutes softness and effeminacy in life. 
Its people were distinguished for amiableness and refinement of man- 
ners, and also for luxury, for music and dancing, and for the seductive 
arts that lead to vicious indulgence. Numerous festivals occupied 
them at home, or attracted them to neighboring cities, where the men 
appeared in magnificent habits, and the women in all the elegance of 
female ornament, and with all the desire of pleasure. — Anacharsis. 

Ephesus was not, like Smyrna, distinguished for commercial advan- 
tages. The consequence has been, that, not having such advantages, 
it has fallen into total ruin, while Smyrna has retained some degree of 
its ancient importance. It was in a rich region of country, and seems 
to have risen into importance mainly because it became the favorite 
resort of foreigners in the worship of Diana, and owed its celebrity to 
its temple more than to any thing else. This city was once, however, 
the most splendid city in Asia Minor. Stephens, the geographer, gives 
it the title of Epiphanestate, or "Most Illustrious ;" Pliny styles it " The 
Ornament of Asia." In Roman times it was the metropolis of Asia 
Minor, and unquestionably rose to a degree of splendor that was sur- 
passed by few, if any, Oriental cities. 

That for which the city was most celebrated was the Temple of 
Diana. This temple was 425 feet in length and 220 in breadth. It 
was encompassed by 127 pillars, each GO feet in height, which were 
presented by as many kings. Some of those pillars, it is said, arc yet 
to be seen in the mosque of St. Sophia at Constantinople, having been 



IT 



INTRODUCTION. 



removed there when the church of St. Sophia was erected. These, 
however, were the pillars that constituted a part of the temple after it 
had been burned and was repaired, though it is probable that the same 
pillars were retained in the second temple which had constituted the 
glory of the first. Ail the provinces of Asia Minor contributed to the 
erection of this splendid temple, and two hundred years were em- 
ployed in building it. This temple was set on fire by a man named 
Herostratus, who, when put to the torture, confessed that his only mo- 
tive was to immortalize his name. The general assembly of the states 
of Ionia passed a decree to devote his name to oblivion ;* but the fact 
of the decree has only served to perpetuate it. — Cicero, de Nat. Deor., 
2, 27. Plutarch, Life of Alexander. Comp. Anacharsis, v. 189. The 
whole of the edifice was consumed except the four walls and some of 
the columns. 1 It was, however, rebuilt, with the same magnificence as 
before, and was regarded as one of the wonders of the world. It is 
now in utter ruin. After the temple had been repeatedly pillaged by 
the barbarians, Justinian removed the columns to adorn the church 
of St. Sophia at Constantinople. The place where it stood can now 
be identified certainly, if at all, only by the marshy spot on which it 
was erected, and by the prodigious arches raised above as a founda- 
tion. The vaults formed by them compose a sort of labyrinth, and 
the water is knee-deep beneath. There is not an apartment entire : 
but thick walls, shafts of columns, and fragments of every kind, are 
scattered around in confusion. — Encycl. Geogr.,ii. 273, 274. 

In the reign of Tiberius, Ephesus was greatly damaged by an earth- 
quake ; but it was repaired and embellished by the emperor. In the 
war between Mithridates and the Romans, Ephesus took part with 
the former, and massacred the Romans who dwelt in it. Sylla se- 
verely punished this cruelty ; but Ephesus was afterward treated with 
lenity, and enjoyed its own laws, with other privileges. About the 
end of the eleventh century it was seized by a pirate named Tangri- 
permes, but he was routed by John Ducas, the Greek admiral, in a 
bloody battle. Theodoras Lascaris, a Greek, made himself master of 
it in 1206. The Mohammedans recovered it in 1283. In the year 
1401, Tamerlane employed a whole month in plundering the city and 
the neighboring country. Shortly after the city was set on fire, and 
was mostly burnt in a combat between the Turkish governor and the 
Tartars^ In 1405 it was taken by Mahomet L, and has continued since 
that time in the possession of the Turks. — Calmet. 

There is a small and mean village, named Aiasaluk, near the site 
of the ancient town, consisting of a few cottages, which is all that 
now represents this city of ancient splendor. Dr. Chavolla says, " The 
inhabitants are a few Greek peasants," living in extreme wretchedness, 
dependence, and insensibility; the representatives of an illustrious 
people, and inhabiting the wreck of their greatness — some in the sub- 
structions of the glorious edifices which they raised — some beneath 
the vaults of the stadium, once the crowded scene of their diversions 
— and some by the abrupt precipice in the sepulchres which received 
their ashes, its streets are obscure and overgrown. A herd of goats 
was driven to it for shelter from the sun at noon, and a noisy flight 
of crows from the quarries seemed to insult its silence. * We heard 



INTRODUCTION. 



v 



the partridge call in the area of the theatre and the stadium. The 
glorious pomp of its heathen worship is no longer numbered ; and 
Christianity, which was here nursed by apostles, and fostered by gen- 
eral councils, until it increased to fullness of stature, barely lingers on 
in an existence hardly visible." — Travels, p. 131, Oxford, 1775. A very 
full and interesting description of Ephesus as it appeared in 1739, 
may be seen in Pococke's Travels, vol. ii., part ii., p. 45-53, ed. Lond., 
1745. Several ruins are described by him, but they have mostly now 
disappeared. The Temple of Diana was on the western side of the 
plain on which the city was built, and the site is now in the midst of 
a morass which renders access difficult. The ruins of several theatres 
and other buildings are described by Pococke. 

In the year 1821, Mr.Fisk, the American missionary, visited the ruins 
of Ephesus, of which he has given the following account: "We sent 
back our horses to Aiasaluk, and set out on foot to survey the ruins 
of Ephesus. The ground was covered with high grass or grain, and 
a very heavy dew rendered the walking rather unpleasant. On the 
east side of the hill we found nothing worthy of notice ; no appear- 
ance of having been occupied for buildings. On the north side was 
the circus or stadium. Its length from east to west is forty rods or 
one stadium. The north or lower side was supported by arches which 
still remain. The area where the races used to be performed is now 
a field of wheat. At the west end was the gate. The walls adjoin- 
ing it are still standing, and are of considerable height and strength. 
North of the stadium, and separated only by a street, is a large square, 
inclined with fallen walls, and filled with the ruins of various edifices. 
A street running north and south divides this square in the centre. 
West of the stadium is an elevation of ground, level at the top, with 
an immense pedestal in the centre of it. What building stood there it 
is not easy to say. Between this and the stadium was a street passing 
from the great plain north of Ephesus into the midst of the city. 

" I found on the plains of Ephesus some Greek peasants, men and 
women, employed in pulling up tares and weeds from the wheat. I 
ascertained, however, that they all belonged to villages at a distance, 
and came there to labor. Tournefort says that when he was at Ephe- 
sus there were thirty or forty Greek families there. Chandler found 
only ten or twelve individuals. Now no human being lives in Ephe- 
sus ; and in Aiasaluk, which may be considered as Ephesus under an- 
other name, though not on precisely the same spot of ground, there are 
merely a few miserable Turkish huts. 

" The plain of Ephesus is now very unhealthy, owing to the fogs 
and mists which almost continually rest upon it. The land, however, 
is rich, and the surrounding country is both fertile and healthy. The 
adjacent hills would furnish many delightful situations for villages if 
the difficulties were removed which are thrown in the way by a des- 
potic government, oppressive agas, and wandering banditti. " — Mis- 
sionary Herald for 1821, p. 3J,9. 

The following cuts represent — the first, a general view of the ruins 
of Ephesus, and the second, from the Pictorial Bible, a view of one 
part of that city. 



viii 



INTRODUCTION. 



§ 2. The Introduction of the Gospel at Ephesus. 
It is admitted by all that the Gospel was introduced into Ephesus 
by the apostle Paul. He first preached there when on his way from 
Corinth to Jerusalem, about the year 54. Acts xviii. 19. On this visit 
he went into the synagogue, as was his usual custom, and preached to 
his own countrymen, but he does not appear to have preached publicly 
to the heathen. He was requested to remain longer with them, but he 
said he must by all means be in Jerusalem at the approaching feast — 
probably the Passover. Acts xviii. 21. He promised, however, to 
visit them again if possible, and sailed from Ephesus to Jerusalem. 
Two persons had gone with Paul from Corinth — Priscilla and Aquila 
— whom he appears to have left at Ephesus, or who, at any rate, soon 
returned there. Acts xviii. 18, 26. During the absence of Paul there 
came to Ephesus a certain Jew, born in Alexandria, named Apollos, 
an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, who had received the 
baptism of John, and who taught the doctrine that John had taught. 
Acts xviii. 24, 25. What was the precise nature of that doctrine it is 
difficult now to understand. It seems to have been in substance that 
repentance was necessary; that baptism was to be performed; and 
that the Messiah was about to appear. This doctrine Apollos had 
embraced with zeal, and was in just the state of mind to welcome the 
news that the Messiah had come. This zealous and talented man 
Priscilla and Aquila instructed more fully in the doctrines of the 
Christian religion, and communicated to him the views which they 
had received from Paul. Acts xviii. 26. Paul, having gone to Jeru- 
salem as he purposed, returned again to Asia Minor, and, taking Phry- 
gia and Galatia in his way, revisited Ephesus, and remained there 
about three years. Acts xviii. 23 ; xix. 1, seq. It was during this 
time that the Church was founded, which afterward became so prom- 
inent, and to which this epistle was written. The principal events in 
the life of Paul there were, (1.) His baptizing the twelve persons whom 
he found there, who were disciples of John. Acts xix. 1-7. (2.) He 
went into the synagogue, and engaged in an earnest discussion with 
the Jews, about three months, respecting the Messiah. Acts xix. 8-10. 
(3.) When many of the Jews opposed him, he left the synagogue, and 
obtained a place to preach in, in the school-room of a man by the name 
of Tyrannus. In this place he continued to preach without molesta- 
tion for two years, and proclaimed the Gospel so that a large portion 
of the inhabitants had an opportunity of hearing it. (4.) The cause 
of religion was greatly promoted by the miracles which he wrought. 
Acts xix. 11-17. (5.) He remained there until his preaching excited 
great commotion, and he was at last driven away by the tumult which 
was excited by Demetrius. Acts xix. 23-41. At this time the Gospel 
had secured such a hold oh the people that there was danger that the 
Temple of Diana would be forsaken, and that all wlio were dependent 
on the worship of Diana for a livelihood would be thrown out of em- 
ployment. It is not probable that Paul visited Ephesus after this, 
unless it was after his first imprisonment at Rome. See Introd. to 2 
Timothy. On his way from Macedonia to Jerusalem he came to Mi- 
letus, and sent for the elders of Ephesus, and gave them his deeply 



INTRODUCTION. 



ix 



affecting parting address, expecting to see them no more. Acts xx. 
16, seq. 

Paul remained longer at Ephesus than he did at any other one place 
preaching the Gospel. He seems to have set himself deliberately to 
work to establish a Church there which would ultimately overthrow 
idolatry. Several reasons may have led him to depart so far from his 
usual plan, by laboring so long in one place. One may have been that 
this was the principal seat of idolatry then in the world. The evi- 
dent aim of Paul in his ministry was to reach the centres of influence 
and power. Hence he mainly sought to preach the Gospel in large 
cities, and thus it was that Antioch, and Ephesus, and Corinth, and 
Athens, and Philippi, and Rome, shared so largely in his labors. Not 
ashamed of the Gospel any where, he yet sought mainly that its power 
should be felt 'where wealth, and learning, and genius, and talent were 
concentrated. The very places where the most magnificent temples 
were erected to the gods ; where the worship of idols was celebrated 
with the most splendor and pomp, and where that worship was de- 
fended most strongly by the civil arm, were those in which the apos- 
tles sought first to preach the Gospel. Ephesus, therefore, as the most 
splendid seat of idolatry at that time in the whole pagan world, par- 
ticularly attracted the attention of the apostle, and hence it was that 
he was willing to spend so large a part of his public life in that place. 
It may have been for this reason that John afterward made if his per- 
manent abode, and spent so many years there as the minister of the 
Church which had been founded by Paul. See § 3. Another reason 
why Paul sought Ephesus as a field of labor may have been, that it 
was at that time not only the principal seat of idolatry, but was a 
place of great importance in the civil affairs of the Roman Empire. It 
was the residence of a Roman proconsul, and the seat of the courts 
of justice in Asia Minor, and consequently was a place to which there 
would be attracted a great amount of learning and talent. — Macknight. 
The apostle, therefore, seems to have been anxious that the full power 1 
of the Gospel should be tried there, and that Ephesus should become 
as important as a centre of influence in the Christian world as it had 
been in paganism and in civil affairs. 

§ 3. Notices of the History of the Church at Ephesus. 

The Church at Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia, and 
the first one mentioned to which John was directed to address an 
epistle from Patmos. Rev. ii. 1-7. Little is said of it in the New Tes- 
tament from the time when Paul left it until the book of Revelation 
was written. The tradition is, that Timothy was a minister at Ephe- 
sus, and was succeeded by the apostle John ; but whether John came 
there while Timothy was living, or not until his removal or death, even 
tradition does not inform us. In the subscription to the second epis- 
tle to Timothy, it is said of Timothy that he was " ordained the first 
bishop of the Church of the Ephesians ;" but this is of no authority 
whatever. All that can be with certainty learned about the residence 
of Timothy at Ephesus is what the apostle Paul says of him in his 
first epistle to Timothy. Chap. i. 3: " As I besought thee to abide 
still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou Brightest 

A 2 



X 



INTRODUCTION. 



charge some that they teach no other doctrine." From this it would 
appear that the residence of Timothy at Ephesus was a temporary ar- 
rangement, designed to secure a result which Paul wished particularly 
to secure, and to avoid an evil which he had reason to fear would fol- 
low from his own absence. That it was a temporary arrangement is 
apparent from the fact that Paul soon after desired him to come to 
Rome, 2 Tim. iv. 9, 11. The second epistle of Paul to Timothy was 
written but a few years after the first. According to Lardner, the first 
was written in the year 56, and the second in the year 62 ; according 
to Hug, the first was written in the year 59, and the second in the year 
61 ; according to the editor of the Polyglot Bible, the first was writ- 
ten A.D. 65, and the second A.D. 66. According to either calculation, 
the time of the residence of Timothy in Ephesus was brief. There is 
not the slightest evidence from the New Testament that he was a per- 
manent Bishop of Ephesus, or, indeed, that he was a bishop at all in 
the modern sense of the term. Those who may be disposed to look 
further into this matter, and to examine the relation which Timothy 
sustained to the Cnurch of Ephesus, and the claim which is sometimes 
set up for his having sustained the office of a bishop, may find an ex- 
amination in the Review of Bishop Onderdonk's Tract on Episcoj)acy, 
published in the Quarterly Christian Spectator in March, 1834, and 
March, 1835, and republished in 1843 under the title of "The Organi- 
zation and Government of the Apostolic Church," p. 99-107. 

Whatever was the relation which he sustained to the Church in 
Ephesus, it is agreed on all hands that the apostle John spent there a 
considerable portion of his life. At what time he went to Ephesus, 
or why he did it, is not now known. The common opinion is, that 
he remained at or near Jerusalem for some fifteen years after the cruci- 
fixion of the Lord Jesus, during which time he had the special charge 
of Mary, the mother of the Saviour ; that he then preached the Gospel 
• to the Parthians and the Indians, and that he then returned and went 
*to Ephesus, in or near which he spent his latter days, and in which, at 
a very advanced age, he died. It was from Ephesus that, under the 
Emperor Domitian, A.D. 95, he was banished to the island of Patmos, 
from which he returned A.D. 97, on the accession of Nerva to the 
crown, who recalled all who had been banished. J ohn is supposed 
at that time to have been about ninety years of age. He is said to 
have died at Ephesus in the third year of Trajan, A.D. 100, aged about 
ninety-four years. For a full and interesting biography of the apostle 
John, the reader may consult the " Lives of the Apostles," by David 
Francis Bacon, p. 307-376. 1 

Of the subsequent history of the Church at Ephesus little is known, 
and it would not be necessary to dwell upon it in order to an exposi- 
tion of the epistle before us. It is sufficient to remark that the u can- 
dlestick is removed out of its place" (Rev. ii. 5), and that all the splen- 
dor of the Temple of Diana, all the pomp of her worship, and all the 
glory of the Christian Church there, have alike faded away, 

§ 4. The Time and Place of Writing the Epistle. 
It has never been denied that the apostle Paul was the author of 
this epistle, though it has been made a question whether it was writ- 



INTRODUCTION. 



xi 



ten to the Ephesians or to the Laodiceans. See § 5. Dr. Paley (Horce 
PauliiKE) has shown that there is conclusive internal proof that it was 
written by Paul. This argument is derived from the style, and is car- 
ried out by a comparison of this epistle with the other undoubted 
writings of the apostle. The historical evidence on this point also is 
undisputed. 

It is generally supposed, and, indeed, the evidence seems to be clear, 
• that this epistle was written during the imprisonment of the apostle at 
Rome, but whether it was during his first or his second imprisonment 
is not certain. Paul was held in custody for some two years in Cesarea 
(Acts xxiv. 27), but there is no evidence that during that time he ad- 
dressed any epistle to the churches which he had planted. That this 
was written when he was a prisoner is apparent from the epistle itself. 
" The two years in which Paul was imprisoned at Cesarea," says Wall, 
as quoted by Lardner, " seem to have been the most inactive part of 
his life. There is no account of any proceedings or disputations, or 
of any epistles written in this space." This may have arisen, Lardner 
supposes, from the fact that the Jews made such an opposition that 
the Roman governor would not allow him to have any intercourse 
with the people at large, or procure any intelligence from the churches 
abroad. But when he was at Rome he had more liberty. He was 
allowed to dwell in his own hired house (Acts xxviii. 30), and had 
permission to address all who came to him and to communicate freely 
with his friends abroad. It was during this period that he wrote at 
least four of his epistles — to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the 
Colossians, and to Philemon. Grotius, as quoted by Lardner, says of 
these epistles, that though all Paul's epistles are excellent, yet he most 
admires those written by him when a prisoner at Rome. Of the epistle 
to the Ephesians, he says it surpasses all human eloquence — rerum sub- 
limitatem aclsequans verbis sublimioribus, quam ulla unquam habuit 
lingua humana — describing the sublimity of the things by correspond- 
ing words more sublime than are found elsewhere in human language. 
The evidence that it was written when Paul was a prisoner is found 
in the epistle itself. Thus, in chap. iii. 1, he says, "I Paul, the prisoner 
of Jesus Christ — j dstrfiLog rov Xokttov — for you Gentiles." So he alludes 
to his afflictions in chap. iii. 13: "I desire that ye faint not at my 
tribulations for you." In chap. iv. 1, he calls himself the " prisoner 
of the Lord," or in the margin, " in the Lord" — 6 Sevfiiog Iv Kvp'no. x And 
in chap. vi. 19, 20, there is an allusion which seems to settle the inquiry 
beyond dispute, and to prove that it was written while he was at Rome. 
He there says that he was an " ambassador in 'bonds 1 ' 1 — Iv akvaei — in 
chains, manacles, or shackles ; and yet he desires (vs. 19, 20) that they 
. would pray for him, that utterance might be given him to open his 
mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel, that he might 
speak boldly, as he ought to speak. Now this is a remarkable cir- 
cumstance. It is the case of a man in custody, in bonds or chains, 
and that, too, for being an a ambassador," and yet asking the aid of 
their prayers that in these circumstances he might have grace to be a 
bold preacher of the Gospel. If he was in prison this could not welJ 
be. If he was under a strict prohibition it could not well be. The 
circumstances of the case tally exactly with-the statement in the last 



xii 



INTRODUCTION. 



chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, that Paul was in custody in Rome ; 
that he was permitted to "dwell by himself with a soldier that kept 
him" (ver. 16) ; that he was permitted to call the Jews together, and 
to debate with them freely (vs. 17-28) ; and that he dwelt in his own 
hired house for two years, and " received all that came in with him, 
preaching the kingdom of God," etc. (vs. 80, 31). So exactly do these 
circumstances correspond, that I. have no doubt that was the time 
when the epistle was written. And so unusual is such a train of cir- 
cumstances — so unlikely would it be to occur to a man to forge such 
a coincidence, that it furnishes a striking proof that the epistle was 
written, as it purports to be, by Paul. An impostor would not have 
thought of inventing such a coincidence. If it had occurred to him 
to make any such allusion, the place and time would have been more 
distinctly mentioned, and not have been left as a mere incidental al- 
lusion. The apostle Paul is supposed to have been at-Rome as a pris- 
oner twice (comp. Introd. to 2 Tim.), and to have suffered martyrdom 
there about A.D. 65 or 66. If the Epistle to the Ephesians was writ- 
ten during his second imprisonment at Rome, as is commonly sup- 
posed, then it must have been somewhere between the years 63 and 65. 
Lardner and Hug suppose that it was written in April, 61 ; Macknight 
supposes it was in 60 or 61 ; the editor of the Polyglot Bible places it 
at 64. The exact time when it was written can not now be ascertained, 
and is not material. 

§ 5. To whom was the Epistle written f 

The epistle purports to have been written to the Ephesians — " to the 
saints which are at Ephesus" — i. 1. But the opinion that it was writ- 
ten to the Ephesians has been called in question by many expositors. 
Dr. Paley (Hor. Paul?) supposes that it was written to the Laodiceans. 
Wetstein also maintained the same opinion. This opinion was ex- 
pressly stated also by Marcion, a "heretic" of the second century. 
Michaelis (Introd.) supposes that it was a " circular epistle," addressed 
not to any church in particular, but intended for the Ephesians, La- 
odiceans, and some other churches of Asia Minor. He supposes that 
the apostle had several copies taken; that he made it intentionally 
of a very general character, so as to suit all ; that he affixed with his 
own hand the subscription, chap. vi. 24, to each copy — " Grace be 
with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ;" that at 
the beginning of the epistle the name was inserted of the particular 
church to which it was to be sent. — as " to the Church in Ephesus" — . 
" in Laodicea," etc. When the several works composing the New 
Testament were collected into a volume, he supposes that it so hap- 
pened that the copy of this epistle which was used was one obtained 
from Ephesus, containing a direction to the saints there. This is also 
the opinion of Archbishop Usher and Koppe. It does not comport 
with the design of these Notes to go into an extended examination 
of this question ; and after all that has been written on it, and the 
different opinions which have been entertained, it certainly does not 
become any one to be very confident. It is not a question of great 
importance, as it involves no point of doctrine or duty ; but those 
who wish to see it discussed at length can be satisfied by referring to 



INTRODUCTION. 



xiii 



Paley's Horw Paulinm ; to Michaelis's Introd., vol. iv., chap, xx., and to 
the Prolegomena of Koppe. The arguments which are alleged to 
prove that it was addressed to the Church at Laodicea, or at least 
not to the Church at Ephesus, are summarily the following : (1.) The 
testimony of Marcion, a heretic of the second century, who affirms 
that it was sent to the Church in Laodicea, and that, instead of the 
reading (chap. i. 1) " in Ephesus," in the copy which he had it was " in 
Laodicea." But the opinion of Marcion is now regarded as of little 
weight. It is admitted that he was in the habit of altering the Greek 
text to suit his own views. (2.) The principal objection to the opinion 
that it was written to the Church at Ephesus is found in certain in- 
ternal marks, and particularly in the want of any allusion to the fact 
that Paul had ever been there, or to any thing that particularly related 
to the Church there. This difficulty comprises several particulars : (a) 
Paul spent nearly three years in Ephesus, and was engaged there in 
deeply interesting transactions and occurrences. He had founded the 
Church, ordained its elders, taught them the doctrines which they 
held, and had at last been persecuted there and driven away. If the 
epistle was written to them, it is remarkable that there is in the epistle 
no allusion to any one of these facts or circumstances. This is the 
more remarkable, as it was his usual custom to allude to the events 
which had occurred in the churches which he had founded (see the 
Epistles to the Corinthians and Philippians), and as on two other oc- 
casions at least he makes direct allusion to these transactions at Ephe- 
sus. See Acts xx. 18-35; 1 Cor. xv. 32. (b) In the other epistles 
which Paul wrote, it was his custom to salute a large number of per- 
sons by name ; but in this epistle there is no salutation of any kind. 
There is a general invocation of " peace to the brethren" (chap. vi. 
23), but no mention of an individual by name. There is not even an 
allusion to the " elders" whom, with so much affection, he had ad- 
dressed at Miletus (Acts xx.), and to whom he had given so* solemn a 
charge. This is still more remarkable, as in this place he had spent 
three years in preaching the Gospel, and must have been acquainted 
with all the leading members in the Church. To the Church at Rome, 
which he had never visited when he wrote his Epistle to the Romans, 
he sends a large number of salutations (chap, xvi.) ; to the Church at 
Ephesus, where he had spent a longer time than in any other place, he 
sends none, (c) The name of Timothy does not occur in the epistle. 
This is remarkable, because Paul had left him there with a special 
charge (1 Tim. i. 3), and if he was still there, it is singular that no al- 
lusion is made to him, and no salutation sent to him. If he had left 
Ephesus, and had gone to Rome to meet Paul as he requested (2 Tim. 
iv. 9), it is remarkable that Paul did not join his name with his own 
in sending the epistle to the Church, or at least allude to the fact that 
he had arrived. This is the more remarkable, because in the epistles 
to the Philippians, Colossians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, the name of 
Timothy is joined with that of Paul at the commencement of the epis- 
tle, (d) Paul speaks of the persons to whom this epistle was sent as 
if he had not been with them, or at least in a manner which is hardly 
conceivable on the supposition that he had been the founder of the 
Church. Thus, in chap. i. 15, 16, he says, " Wherefore also after I heard 



xiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



of your faith in Christ Jesus," etc. But this circumstance is not con-, 
elusive. Paul may have been told of the continuance of their faith, 
and of their growing love and zeal, and he may have alluded to that 
in this passage. (<?) Another circumstance on which some reliance has 
been placed is the statement in chap. iii. 1, 2 : " For this cause, I Paul, 
the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the 
dispensation of the grace of God which is given to you-ward," etc. 
It is argued (see Michaelis) that this is not language which would 
have been employed by one who had founded the Church, and with 
whom they were all acquainted. He would not have spoken in a 
manner implying any doubt whether they had ever heard of him and 
his labors in the ministry on account of the Gentiles. Such are the 
considerations relied on to show that the epistle could not have been 
written to the Ephesians. 

On the other hand, there is proof of a very strong character that it 
was written to them. That proof is the following : 

1. The common reading in chap. i. 1, "To the saints which are in 
Ephesus." It is true, as we have seen, that this reading has been 
called in question. Mill says that it is omitted by Basil (lib. 2, Ad^er- 
sus Eunomium), as he says, " on the testimony of the fathers and of 
ancient copies." Griesbach marks it with the sign om., denoting that 
it was omitted by some, but that in his judgment it is to be retained. 
It is found in the Vulgate, the Syriac, the Arabic, "and the Ethiopic in 
Walton's Polyglot. Rosennriiller remarks that " most of the ancient 
codices, and all the ancient versions, retain the word." To my mind 
this fact is conclusive. The testimony of Marcion is admitted to be 
of almost no authority ; and as to the testimony of Basil, it is only one 
against the testimony of all the ancients, and is at best negative in its 
character. See the passage from Basil quoted in Hug's Introduction. 

2. A slight circumstance may be adverted to as throwing light inci- 
dentally on this question. This epistle was sent by Tychicus. Chap, 
vi., 21. The Epistle to the Colossians was also sent from Rome by the 
same messenger. Col. iv. 7. Now there is a strong improbability in 
the opinion held by Michaelis, Koppe, and others, that this was a circu- 
lar letter, sent to the churches at large, or that different copies were pre- 
pared, 'and the name Ephesus inserted in one, and Laodicea in another, 
etc. The improbability is this, that the apostle would at the same time 
send such a circular letter to several of the churches, and a special let- 
ter to the Church at Colosse. What claim had that Church to special 
notice ? What pre-eminence had it over the Church at Ephesus ? And 
why should he send them a letter bearing so strong a resemblance to 

*that addressed to the other churches, when the same letter would 
have suited the Church at Colosse as well as the one which was ac- 
tually sent to them ; for there is a nearer resemblance between these 
two epistles than any other two portions of the Bible. Besides, in 2 
Tim. iv. 12, Paul says that he had sent "Tychicus to Ephesus" and what 
is more natural than that at that time he sent this epistle by him ? 

3. There is the utter want of evitlcnce from MSS. or versions that 
this epistle was sent to Laodicea, or to any other Church except Ephe- 
sus. Not a MS. has been found having the name Laodicea in chap. i. 1, 
and not one which omits the words " in Ephesus," If it had been 



INTRODUCTION. 



xv 



sent to another Church, or if it had been a circular letter addressed 
to no particular Church, it is scarcely credible that this could have 
occurred. 

These considerations make it plain to me that this epistle was ad- 
dressed, as it purports to have been, to the Church in Ephesus. I 
confess myself wholly unable, however, to explain the remarkable cir- 
cumstances that Paul does not refer to his former residence there ; ' 
that he alludes to none of his troubles or his triumphs ; that he makes 
no mention of the " elders," and salutes no one by name ; and that 
throughout he addresses them as if they were to him personally un- 
known. In this respect it is unlike all the other epistles which he 
ever wrote, and all which we should have expected from a man in 
such circumstances. May it not be accounted for from this very fact, 
that an attempt to specify individuals where so many were known 
would protract the epistle to an unreasonable length ? There is, in- 
deed, one supposition suggested by Dr. Macknight, which may pos- 
sibly explain, to some extent, the remarkable circumstances above 
referred to. It is, that a direction may have been given by Paul to 
Tychicus, by whom he sent the letter, to send a copy of it to the La- 
odiceans, with an order to them to communicate it to the Colossians. 
In such a case every thing local would be designedly omitted, and the 
epistle would be of as general a character as possible. This is, how- 
ever, mere conjecture, and does not remove the whole of the difficulty. 

§ 6. The Object for which the Epistle was written. 

Very various opinions have been formed in regard to the design for 
which this epistle was written. Macknight supposes that it was with 
reference to the Eleusinian Mysteries, and to various religious rites in- 
the Temple of Diana, and that Paul intended particularly to state the 
" mysteries" of the Gospel in contradistinction from them. But there 
is no clear evidence that the apostle had any such object, and it is not 
necessary to go into an explanation of those mysteries in order to an 
understanding of the epistle. The epistle is such as might be ad- 
dressed to any Christian, though there are allusions to customs which 
then prevailed, and to opinions then held, which it is desirable to un- 
derstand in order to a just view of it. That there were Jews and Ju- 
daizing Christians in Ephesus may be learned from the epistle itself. 
That there were those there who supposed that the Jews were to have 
a more elevated rank than the Gentiles may also be learned from the 
epistle; and one object was to show that all true Christians, whether 
of Jewish or heathen origin, were on a level, and were entitled to the 
same privileges. That there was the prevalence of a false and dan- * 
gerous philosophy there may also be learned from the epistle ; and 
that there were those who attempted to cause divisions, and who had 
violated the unity of the faith, may also be learned from it. 

The epistle is divided into two parts : I. The doctrinal part, chap, 
i.-iii. ; and, II. The practical part, or the application, chap, iv.-vi. 

I. The doctrinal part comprises the following topics: 

(1.) Praise to God for the revelation of his eternal counsels of recov- 
ering mercy. Chap. i. 3-14. 

(2.) A prayer of the apostle, expressing his earnest desire thai the 



xvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



Ephesians might, avail themselves fully of all the advantages of this 
eternal purpose of mercy. Chap. i. 15-23. 

(3.) The doctrine of the native character of man, as being dead in 
sins, illustrated by the past lives of the Ephesians. Chap. ii. 1-3. 

(4.) The doctrine of regeneration by the grace of God, and the ad- 
vantages of it. Chap. ii. 4-7. 

(5.) The .doctrine of salvation by grace alone, without respect to our 
own works. Chap. ii. 8-10. 

(6.) The privilege of being thus admitted to the fellowship of the 
saints. Chap. ii. 11-22. 

(7.) A full statement of the doctrine that God meant to admit the 
Gentiles to the privileges of his people, and to break down the bar- 
riers between the Gentiles and the Jews. Chap. iii. 1-12. 

(8.) The apostle prays earnestly that they might avail themselves 
fully of this doctrine, and be able to appreciate fully the advantages 
which it was intended to confer ; and with this prayer he closes the 
doctrinal part of the epistle. Chap. iii. 13-21. 

II. The practical part of the epistle embraces the following topics : 

(1.) Exhortation to unity, drawn from the consideration that there 
was one God, one faith, etc. Chap. iv. 1-16. 

(2.) An exhortation to a holy life in general, from the fact that they 
differed from other Gentiles. Chap. iv. 17-24. 

(3.) Exhortation to exhibit 'particular virtues — specifying what was 
required by their religion, and what they should avoid — particularly 
to avoid the vices of anger, lying, licentiousness, and intemperance. 
Chap. iv. 25-32. Chap. v. 1-20. 

(4.) The duties of husbands and wives. Chap. v. 21-33. 

(5.) The duties of parents and children. Chap. vi. 1-3. 

(6.) The duties of masters and servants. Chap. vi. 4-9. 

(7.) An exhortation to fidelity in the Christian warfare. Chap. vi. 
10-20. 

(8.) Conclusion. Chap. vi. 21-24. 

The style of this epistle is exceedingly animated. The apostle is 
cheered by the intelligence which he had received of their deportment 
in the Gospel, and is warmed by the grandeur of his principal theme 
— the eternal purposes of divine mercy. Into the discussion of that 
• subject he throws his whole soul, and there is probably no part of 
Paul's writings where there is more ardor, elevation, and soul evinced, 
than in this epistle. The great doctrine of predestination he ap- 
proaches as a most import-ant and vital doctrine ; he states it freely and 
fully, and urges it as the basis of the Christian's hope, and the founda- 
tion of eternal gratitude and praise. Perhaps nowhere is there a bet- 
ter illustration of the power of that doctrine to elevate the soul and 
fill it with grand conceptions of the character of God, and to excite 
grateful emotions, than in this epistle, and the Christian, therefore, 
may study it as*a portion of the sacred writings eminently fitted to 
excite his gratitude, and to fill him with adoring views of God. 



THE EPISTLE OF 
PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 

CHAPTER I. saints a which are at Ephesus, b and 

PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the faithful c in Christ Jesus : 
by the will of God, to the « Rom. 1.7. b Acts, 19, 20. cCoi.1.2. 



ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

(1.) The salutation. Vs. 1, 2. 
(2.) The doctrine of predestination, 
and its bearing and design. Vs. 3-14. 

(a) It is the foundation of praise to 
God, and is a source of gratitude. 
Ver. 3. 

(b) Christians have been chosen be- 
fore the foundation of the world. 
Ver. 4. 

(c) The object was that they should 
be holy and blameless. Ver. 4. 

(d) They were predestinated to be 
the children of God. Ver. 5. 

(e) The cause of this was the good 
pleasure of God, or he did it accord- 
ing to the purpose of his will. Ver. 5. 

(/) The object of this was his own 
glory. Ver. 6. 

(3.) The benefits of the plan of pre- 
destination to those who are thus 
chosen. Vs. 7-14. 

(a) They have redemption and the 
forgiveness of sins. Vs. 7, 8. 

(b) They are made acquainted with 
the mystery of the divine will. Vs. 
9, 10. 

(c) They have obtained an inherit- 
ance in Christ. Ver. 11. 

(d) The object of this was the praise 
of the glory of God. Ver. 12. 

(e) As the result of this, or in the 
execution of this purpose, they were 
sealed with the Holy Spirit of prom- 
ise. Vs. 13, 14. 

(4.) An earnest prayer that they 
might have a full understanding of 
the great and glorious plan of re- 
demption. Vs. 15-23. 

(a) Paul says that he had been in- 
formed of their faith. Ver. 15. 

(b) He always remembered them in 
his prayers. Ver. 16. 

(e) His especial desire was that they 
might see the glory of the Lord Jesus, 
whom God had exalted to his own 
right hand in heaven. Vs. 17-23. 

1. Paul, an apostle. See Notes on 



Rom. i. 1. ^ By the will of God. See 
Notes on 1 Cor. i. 1. H To the saints. 
A name often given to Christians be- 
cause they are" holy. See Notes on 1 
Cor. i. 2. If In Ephesus. See the Intro- 
duction, §1,5. H And to the faithful in 
Christ Jesus. This evidently refers to 
others than to those who were in Eph- 
esus, and it is clear that Paul expected 
that this epistle would be read by oth- 
ers. He gives it a general character, as 
if he supposed that it might be trans- 
cribed, and become the property of 
other churches or the Church at large. 
It was not uncommon for him thus 
to give a general character to the 
epistles which he addressed to partic- 
ular churches, and so to Avrite that 
others than those to whom they 
were particularly directed might feel 
that they were applicable to them. 
Thus the first epistle to the Corinthi- 
ans was addressed to " the Church of 
God in Corinth, with all that in every 
place call upon the name of Christ Je- 
sus our Lord." The second epistle to 
the Corinthians in like manner was ad- 
dressed to "the Church of God which 
is at Corinth, with all the saints which 
are in all Achaia." Perhaps, in the 
epistle before us, the apostle referred 
particularly to the churches of Asia 
Minor which he had not visited, but 
there is no reason for confining the 
address to them. All who are u faith- 
ful in Christ Jesus" may regard the 
epistle as addressed by the Holy Spir- 
it to them, and may feel that they are 
as much interested in the doctrines, 
promises, and duties set forth in this 
epistle as were the ancient Christians 
of Ephesus. The word "faithful" here 
is not used in the sense of trustworthy, 
or in the sense of fidelity, as it is often 
employed, but in the sense of believing, 
or having faith in the Lord J esus. The 
apostle addresses those who were firm 
in the faith — another name for true 
Christians. The epistle contains great 
doctrines about the divine purposes 



18 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



2 Grace a be to you, and peace, 
from God our Father, and from 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 

a Gal. 1.3. Tit. 1.4. 



and decrees in which they, as Chris- 
tians, were particularly concerned ; 
important "mysteries" (ver. 9), of im- 
portance for them to understand, and 
which the apostle proceeds to com- 
municate to them as such. The fact 
that the letter was designed to be pub- 
lished'shows that he was not unwil- 
ling that those high doctrines should 
be made known to the world at large ; 
still they pertain particularly to the 
Church, and they are doctrines which 
should be particularly addressed to 
the Church. They are rather fitted 
to comfort the hearts of Christians 
than to bring sinners to repentance. 
These doctrines may be addressed to 
the Church with more prospect of se- 
curing a happy effect than to the 
w r orld. In the Church they will ex- 
cite gratitude, and produce the hope 
which results from assured promises 
and eternal purposes ; in the minds of 
sinners they may arouse envy, hatred, 
and opposition to God. 

2. Grace to you, etc. See Notes on 
Rom. i. 7. 

3. Messed be the God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. This commences a 
sentence which continues to the close 
of ver. 12. The length of the periods 
in the writings of Paul is one cause 
of the obscurity of his style, and ren- 
ders an explanation often difficult. 
The meaning of this phrase is, that 
God has laid a foundation for grati- 
tude for what he has done. The 
ground or reason of the praise here 
referred to is that which is stated in 
the following verses. The leading 
thing on which the apostle dwells is 
God's eternal purpose — his everlast- 
ing counsel in regard to the salvation 
of man. Paul breaks out into the ex- 
clamation that God is worthy of praise 
for such a plan, and that his eternal 
purposes, now manifest to men, give 
exalted views of his character and glo- 
ry. Most persons suppose the con- 
trary. They feel that the plans of 
God are dark, stern, and forbidding, or 
that they arc such as to render his 
character any thing but amiable. They 
speak of him, when he is referred to 
as a sovereign, as if he were tyranni- 
cal and unjust, and they never connect 



3 Blessed b be the God and Fa- 
ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
hath blessed us with all spiritual 

b 2 Cor. 1.3. 1 Pet. 1.3. 



the idea of that which is amiable and 
lovely with the doctrine of eternal de- 
crees. There is no doctrine tha't is 
usually so unpopular ; none that is so 
much reproached; none that is so 
much abused. There is none that 
men desire so much to disbelieve or 
avoid; none that they are so unwil- 
ling to have preached ; and none that 
they are so reluctant to find in the 
Scriptures. Even many Christians 
turn away from it with dread ; or, if 
they tolerate it, they feel that there is 
something about it that is peculiarly 
dark and forbidding. Not so felt Paul. 
He felt that it laid the foundation for 
eternal praise ; that it presented glo- 
rious views of God; that it was the 
ground of confidence and hope ; and 
that it was desirable that Christians 
should dwell upon it, and praise God 
for it. Let us feel, therefore, as we 
enter upon the exposition of this chap- 
ter, that God is to be praised for all 
his plans, and that it is 2^ossible for 
Christians to have such views of the 
doctrine of. eternal predestination as to 
give them most elevated conceptions 
of the glory of the divine character. 
And let'us also be willing to know the 
truth. Let us approach word after 
word, and phrase after phrase, and 
verse after verse, in this chapter, wil- 
ling to know all that God teaches ; to 
believe all that he has revealed ; and 
ready to say, "Blessed be the God and 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for 
all that he has purposed and all that 
he has done." ^Who hath blessed us. 
Who does Paul mean here by "us?" 
Does he mean all the world? This 
can not be, for all the world are not 
thus blessed with all spiritual bless- 
ings. Does he mean nations? For 
the same reason this can not be. Does 
he mean the Gentiles in contradistinc- 
tion from the Jews ? Why, then, does 
he use the word its, including himself, 
who was a Jew? Does he mean to 
say that they were blessed with ex- 
ternal privileges, and that this was the 
only object of the eternal purposes of 
God ? This can not be, for he speaks 
of "spiritual blessings;" he speaks 
of the persons referred to as having 
"redemption" and "the forgiveness 



A D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



19 



blessings in heavenly 1 places in 
Christ : 

1 or, things. Heb. 9. 23. 

of sins;" as having "obtained an in- 
heritance," and as being sealed with 
the u Holy Spirit of promise." These 
appertain not to nations, or to exter- 
nal privileges, or the mere offers of 
the Gospel, but to true Christians ; to 
persons who have been redeemed. 
The persons referred to by the word 
u w,s" are those who are mentioned in 
ver. 1 as "saints" — dyioLs — holy; and 
"faithful" — 7rto-Tot5 — believing, or be- 
lievers. This observation is important, 
because it shows that the plan or de- 
cree of God had reference to individu- 
als, and not merely to nations. Many 
have supposed (see Whitby, Dr. A. 
Clarke, Bioomfield, and others) that 
the apostle here refers to the Gentiles, 
and that his object is to show that 
they were now admitted to the same 
privileges as the ancient Jews, and 
that the whole doctrine of predestina- 
tion here referred to has relation to 
that fact. But, I would ask, were 
there no Jews in the Church at Ephe- 
sus ? See Acts xviii. 20, 24 ; xix. 1-8. 
The matter of fact seems to have been, 
that Paul was uncommonly successful 
there among his own countrymen, and 
that his chief difficulty there arose, 
not from the Jews, but from the influ- 
ence of the heathen. Acts xix. 24. 
Besides, what evidence is there that 
the a'postle speaks in this chapter pe- 
culiarly of the Gentiles, or that he was 
writing to that portion of the Church at 
Ephesus which was of Gentile origin ? 
And if he was, why did he name himself 
among them as one on whom this bless- 
ing had been bestowed ? The fact is, 
that this is a mere supposition, resort- 
ed to without evidence, and in the face 
of every fair principle of interpreta- 
tion, to avoid an unpleasant doctrine. 
Nothing can be clearer than that Paul 
meant to write to Christians as such; 
to speak of privileges which they en- 
joyed as peculiar to themselves; and 
that he had no particular reference to 
nations, and did not design merely to 
refer to external privileges. ^ With 
all spiritual blessings* Pardon, peace, 
redemption, adoption, the earnest of 
the Spirit, etc., referred to in the fol- 
lowing verses — blessings which indi- 
vidual Christians enjoy, and not exter- 
nal privileges conferred on nations. 
U In heavenly places in Christ. The 



4 According as he hath chosen 
a us in him before the foundation 

a 1 Pet. 1. 2. 

word places is here understood, and is 
not in the original. It may mean 
heavenly places or heavenly things. 
The word Recces does not express the 
best sense. The idea seems to be, that 
God has blessed us in Christ in regard 
to heavenly subjects or matters. In 
ver. 20 the word " places" seems to be 
inserted with more propriety. The 
same phrase occurs again in ch. ii. 6; 
hi. 10 ; and in ch. vi. 12 [rendered high 
places in the text, and heavenly in the 
margin] ; and it is remarkable that it 
should occur in the same elliptical 
form five times in this one epistle, and 
in no other part of the writings of Paul. 
Our translators have in each instance 
supplied the word " places," as denot- 
ing the rank or station of Christians, 
of the angels, of the Saviour, and of 
evil spirits (ch. vi. 12), to each of whom 
it is applied. The phrase probably 
means, in things pertaining to heaven ; 
fitted to prepare us for heaven ; tend- 
ing toward heaven ; or (ch. vi. 12) the 
lower heavens, the sky, the air, con- 
sidered as the seat or abode of evil 
spirits. It probably refers here to every 
thing that was heavenly in its nature, 
or that had relation to heaven, wheth- 
er gifts or graces. As the apostle is 
speaking, however, of the mass of 
Christians on whom these things had 
been bestowed, I rather suppose that 
he refers to what are called Christian 
graces than to the extraordinary en- 
dowments bestowed on the few. The 
sense is, that in Christ — that is, 
through Christ, or by means of him, 
God had bestowed all spiritual bless- 
ings that were fitted to prepare for 
heaven, such as pardon, adoption, the 
illumination of the Spirit, etc. 

4. According as. The importance of 
this verse will render proper a some- 
what minute examination of the words 
and phrases of which it is composed. 
The general sense of the passage is, 
that these blessings pertaining to 
heaven were bestowed upon Christians 
in accordance with an eternal purpose 1 . 
They were not conferred by chance or 
hap-hazard. They were the result of 
intention and design on the pari of 
God. Their value is greatly enhanced 
from the fact that God had designed 
from all eternity to bestow them, and 
that they come to us as the result of 



20 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



his everlasting plan. It was not a re- 
cent plan ; it was not an after-thought; 
it was not by chance ; it was not by 
caprice ; it was the fruit of an eternal 
counsel. Those blessings had all the 
value and all the assurance of perma- 
nency, which must result from that 
fact. The phrase "according as," ica- 
implies that these blessings were 
in conformity with that eternal plan, 
and have flowed to us as the expres- 
sion of that plan. They are limited by 
that purpose, for it marks and meas- 
ures all. It was as God had chosen 
that it should be, and had appointed 
in his eternal purpose. 1[ Re hath chos- 
en us. The word " us" here shows that 
the apostle had reference to individu- 
als, and not to communities. It in- 
cludes Paul himself as one of the 
"chosen," and those whom he ad- 
dressed — the mingled Gentile and 
Jewish converts in Ephesus. That it 
must refer to individuals is clear. Of 
no community as such can it be said 
that it was "chosen in Christ before 
the foundation of the world to be 
holy." It is not true of the Gentile 
world as such, nor of any one of the 
nations making up the Gentile world. 
The word rendered here "hath chos- 
en," i^eXi^ai-o, is from a w r ord mean- 
ing to lay out together (Passow), to 
choose out, to seiect. It involves the 
idea of making a choice or selection 
among different objects or things. It 
is applied to things, as in Luke x. 42. 
Mary "hath chosen that good part;" 
she has made a choice, or selection of 
it, or has shown a preference for it. 1 
Cor. i. 27. " God hath chosen the fool- 
ish things of the world;" he has pre- 
ferred to make use of them among all 
the conceivable things which might 
have been employed '.'to confound the 
wise." Comp. Acts i. 2, 24; vi. 5; xv. 
22, 25. It denotes to choose out, with 
the accessary idea of kindness or favor. 
Mark xiii. 20. "For the elect's sake 
whom he hath chosen, he hath shorten- 
ed the days." John xiii. 18. "I know 
whom I have chosen." Acts xiii. 17. 
"The God of this people of Israel 
chose our fathers;" that is, selected 
them from among the nations to ac- 
complish important purposes. This 
is evidently the sense of the word in 
the passage before us. It means to 
make a selection or choice with the 
idea of favor or love, and with a view 
to impart important benefits on those 
whom he chose. The idea of making 



some distinction between them and 
others is essential to a correct under- 
standing of the passage, since there 
can be no choice where no such dis- 
tinction is made. He who chooses one 
out of many things makes a difference, 
or evinces a preference — no matter 
what the ground or reason of his do- 
ing it may be. Whether this refers to 
communities and nations, or to indi- 
viduals, still it is true that a distinc- 
tion is made, or a preference given of 
one over another. It may be added, 
that so far as justice is concerned, it 
makes no difference whether it refers 
to nations or to individuals. If there 
is injustice in choosing an individual 
to favor, there can not be less in choos- 
ing a nation — for a nation is nothing 
but a collection of individuals. Every 
objection which has ever been made 
to the doctrine of election as it relates 
to individuals, will apply with equal 
force to the choice of a nation to pe- 
culiar privileges. If a distinction is 
made, it may be made with as much 
propriety in respect to individuals as 
to nations. ^Inhim. In Christ. The 
choice was not without reference to 
any means of saving them ; it was not 
a mere purpose to bring a certain num- 
ber to heaven ; it was with reference 
to the mediation of the Redeemer and 
his death. It was a purpose that they 
should be saved by him, and share the 
benefits of the atonement. The whole 
choice and purpose of salvation had 
reference to him, and out of him no 
one was chosen to life ; no one out of 
him will be saved. H Before the founda- 
tion of the world. This is a very impor- 
tant phrase in determining when the 
choice was made. It was not an after- 
thought. It was not commenced in 
time. The purpose was far back in 
the ages of eternity. But what is the 
meaning of the phrase "before the 
foundation of the world ?" Dr. Clarke 
supposes that it means "from the com- 
mencement of the religious system of the 
Jews, which," says he, "the phrase 
sometimes means." Such principles 
of interpretation are they compelled 
to resort to who endeavor to show 
that this refers to a national election 
to privileges, and who deny that it re- 
fers to individuals. On such princi- 
ples the Bible may be made to signify 
any thing and every thing. Dr. Chand- 
ler, who also supposes that it refers 
to nations, admits, however, that the 
word " foundation" 'means the begin- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



21 



ning of any thing ; and that the phrase 
here means "before the world be- 
gan." There is scarcely any phrase in 
the New Testament which is more clear 
in its signification than this. The word 
rendered "foundation," Kai-afioXii, 
means properly a lay ing do wn, a found- 
ing, a foundation— as where the foun- 
dation of a building is laid — and the 
phrase "before the foundation of the 
world" clearly means before the world 
was made, or before the work of crea- 
tion. See Matt. xiii. 35; xxv. 34. Luke 
xi. 50. Heb. ix. 26. Rev. xiii. 8, in all 
which places the phrase "the founda- 
tion of the world" means the begin- 
ning of human affairs ; the beginning 
of the world ; the beginning of histo- 
ry, etc. Thus, in John xvii. 24, the 
Lord Jesus says, "Thou lovedst me 
before the foundation of the world," 
that is, from eternity, or before the 
work of creation commenced. Thus 
Peter says _(l Epis. i. 20) of the Saviour, 
"who verily was foreordained before 
the foundation of the world." It was 
the purpose of God before the worlds 
were made to send him to save lost 
men. Compare Rev. xvii. 8. Nothing 
can be clearer than that the phrase be- 
fore us must refer to a purpose that 
was formed before the world was made. 
It is not a temporary arrangement ; it 
has not grown up under tms influence 
of vacillating purposes ; it is not a plan 
newly formed, or changed with each 
coming generation, or. variable like 
the plans of men. It has all the im- 
portance, dignity, and assurances of 
stability which necessarily result from 
a purpose that has been eternal in the 
mind of God. It may be observed here, 
(1.) that if the plan was formed "be- 
fore the foundation of the world," all 
objections to the doctrine of an eter- 
nal plan are removed. If the plan was 
formed before the world, no matter 
whether a moment, an hour, a year, or 
millions of years, the plan is equally 
fixed, and the event equally necessary. 
All the objections which will lie against 
an eternal plan will lie against a plan 
formed a day or an hour before the 
event. The one interferes with our 
freedom of action as much as the oth- 
er. (2.) If the plan was formed " be- 
fore the foundation of the world," it 
was eternal. God has no new plan. He 
forms no new schemes. He is not 
changing and vacillating. If we can 
ascertain what is the plan of God at 
any time, we can ascertain what his 



eternal plan was with reference to the 
event. It has always been the same, 
for "he is of one mind, and who can 
turn him?" Job xxiii. 13. In refer- 
ence to the plans and purposes of the 
Most High, there is nothing better set- 
tled than that what he actually 

DOES HE ALWAYS MEANT TO DO — 

which is the doctrine of eternal de- 
crees — and the ivhole of it. "f[ That we 
should be holy. Paul proceeds to state 
the object for which God had chosen his 
people. It is not merely that they shall 
enter into heaven. It is not that they 
may live in sin. It is not that they 
may flatter themselves that they are 
safe, and then live as they please. The 
tendency among men has always been 
to abuse the doctrine of predestination 
and election ; to lead men to say that 
if all things are fixed there is no need 
of effort; that if God has an eternal 
plan, no matter how men live,*they 
will be saved if he has elected them, 
and that, at all events, they can not 
change that plan, and they may as 
well enjoy life by indulgence in sin. 
The apostle Paul held no such view of 
the doctrine of predestination. In his 
apprehension it is a doctrine fitted to 
excite the gratitude of Christians, and 
the whole tendency and design of the 
doctrine, according to him, is to make 
men holy, and without blame before 
God. ^And without blame before him 
in love. The expression "in love" is 
probably to be taken in connection 
with the following verse, and should 
be rendered u In love, having predesti- 
nated us unto the adoption of chil- 
dren." It is all to be traced to the 
love of God. (1.) It was love for us 
which prompted to it. (2.) It is the 
highest expression of love to be or- 
dained to eternal life — for what higher 
love could God show us ? (3.) It is 
love on his part, because we had no 
claim to it, and had not deserved it. 
If this be the correct view, then the 
doctrine of predestination is not in- 
consistent with the highest moral ex- 
cellence in the divine character, and 
should never be represented as the 
offspring of partiality and injustice. 
Then, too, we should give thanks that 
" God has, in love, predestinated us to 
the adoption of children by Jesus 
Christ, according to the good pleasure 
of his will." 

5. Having predestinated us. On the 
meaning of the word here used, see 
I Notes on Rom. i. 4 ; viii. 29. The word 



22 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



of the world that we should be | the adoption c of children by Jesus 
holy, a and without blame before Christ to himself, according to the 



him in love : 
5 Having predestinated b us unto 



good pleasure d of his will, 
6 To the rjraise e of the glory of 



used, Trpoopi^a), means properly to set 
bounds before, and then to predeter- 
mine. There is the essential idea of 
setting bounds or limits, and of doing 
this beforehand. It is not that God 
determined to do it when it was ac- 
tually done, but that he intended be- 
forehand to do it. No language could 
express this more clearly, and I sup- 
pose this interpretation is generally 
admitted. Even by those who deny 
the doctrine of particular election, it 
is not denied that the word here 
used means to predetermine; and they 
maintain that the sense is that God 
had predetermined to admit the Gen- 
tiles to the privileges of his people. 
Admitting, then, that the meaning is 
to predestinate in the proper sense, 
the only question is, tv7io are predesti- 
nated? To whom does the expres- 
sion apply ? Is it to nations or to in- 
dividuals ? In reply to this, in addi- 
tion to the remarks already made, I 
would observe, (1.) that there is no 
specification of nations here as such, 
no mention of the Gentiles in contra- 
distinction from the Jews. (2.) Those 
referred to were those included in the 
word "?£S," among whom Paul was 
one ; but Paul was not a heathen. (3.) 
The same objection will lie against 
the doctrine of predestinating nations 
which will lie against predestinating 
individuals. (4.) Nations are made up 
of individuals, and the predetermina- 
tion must have had Ibme reference 
to individuals. What is a nation but 
a collection of individuals ? There is 
no such abstract being or thing as a 
nation ; and if there was any purpose 
in regard to a nation, it must have 
had some reference to the individuals 
composing it. He that would act on 
the ocean must act on the drops of 
water that make up the ocean, for 
besides the collection of drops of wa- 
ter there is no ocean. He that would 
remove a mountain must act on the 
particles of mattef that compose the 
mountain, for there is no such thing 
as an abstract mountain. Perhaps 
there was never a greater illusion 
than to suppose that all difficulty is 
removed in regard to the doctrine of 



election and predestination by say- 
ing that it refers to nations. What 
difficulty is lessened ? What is gain- 
ed by it ? How does it make God ap- 
pear more amiable and good ? Does 
! it render him less partial to suppose 
j that he has made a difference among 
nations than to suppose he has made 
a difference among individuals ? Does 
it remove any difficulty about the 
offer of salvation to suppose that he 
; has granted the knowledge of his 
; truth to some nations and withheld it 
from others ? The truth is, that all 
the reasoning which has been found- 
I ed on this supposition has been mere- 
ly throwing dust in the eyes. If 
there is any well-founded objection 
to the doctrine of decrees or predes- 
tination, it is to the doctrine at ally 
j alike in regard to nations and indi- 
viduals, and there are just the same 
difficulties in the one case as in the 
| other. But there is no real difficulty 
in either. Who could worship or 
| honor a God who had no plan, no 
purpose, rro intention in what he did? 
Who can believe that the universe 
was formed and is governed without 
design? Who can doubt that what 
God does he always meant to do ? 
When, therefore, he converts and 
saves a soul, it is clear that he always 
I intended to do it. He has no new 
; plan. It is not an after- thought. It 
| is not the work of chance. If I can 
find out any thing that God has done, 
j I have the most certain conviction 
j that he always meant to do it ; and 
! this is all that is intended by the doc- 
| trine of election or predestination. 
What God does he always meant to 
! do. What he permits he always 
; meant to permit. I may add further, 
that if it is right to do it, it was right 
to intend to do it. If there is no in- 
j justice or partiality in the act itself, 
\ there is no injustice or partiality in 
! the intention to perform it. If it is 
right to save a soul, it was always 
right to intend to save it. If it is 
right to condemn a sinner to woe, it 
M as right to intend to do it. Let us, 
then, look at the thing itself, and if that 
is not wrong, we should not blame 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



23 



the purpose to do it, however long it 
has been cherished. H Unto the adop- 
tion, etc. See Notes on John i. 12. 
Rom. viii. 15. IT According to the good 
pleasure of his will. The word rendered 
"good pleasure," evdoKia, means a be- 
ing well pleased ; delight in any thing, 
favor, good-will. Luke ii. 14. Phil, 
i. 15. Comp. Luke xii. 32. Then it 
denotes purpose or will, the idea of 
benevolence being included. — Robin- 
son. Rosenmiiller renders the phrase, 
"from his most benignant decree." 
The evident object of the apostle is 
to state why God chose the heirs of 
salvation. It was done as it seemed 
good to him in the circumstances of 
the case. It was not that man had 
any control over him, or that man 
was consulted in the determination, 
or that it was based on the good 
works of man, real or foreseen. But 
we are not to suppose that there 
were no good reasons for what he has 
thus clone. Convicts are frequently 
pardoned by an executive. He does 
it according to his own will, or as 
seems good in his sight. He is to be 
the judge, and no one has a right to 
control him yi doing it. It may seem 
to be entirely arbitrary. The execu- 
tive may not have communicated the 
reasons why he did it, either to those 
who are pardoned, or to the other 
prisoners, or to any one else. But 
we are not to infer that there was no 
reaso7i for doing it. If he is a wise 
magistrate, and worthy of his station, 
it is to be presumed that there w r ere 
reasons which, if known, would be sat- 
isfactory to all. But those reasons 
he is under no obligation to make 
known. Indeed, it might be improp- 
er that they should be known. Of 
that he is the best judge. Meantime, 
however, we may see what would be 
the effect in those who were not for- 
given. It would excite, very likely, 
their hatred, and they would charge 
him with partiality or with tyranny, 
^ut they should remember that who- 
ever might be pardoned, and on what- 
ever ground it might be done, they 
could not properly complain. They 
would suffer no more than they de- 
served. But what if, when the act of 
pardon was made known to one part, 
it was offered to the others also on 
certain plain and easy conditions? 
Suppose it should appear that while 
the executive meant, for wise but con- 
cealed reasons, to forgive a part at 



any rate, he had also determined to 
offer forgiveness to all ; and suppose 
that they were in fact disposed in the 
highest degree to neglect it, and that 
no inducements or arguments could 
prevail on them to accept of it — who, 
then, could blame the executive? 
Now this is about the case in regard 
to God and the doctrine of election. 
All men were guilty and condemned. 
For wise reasons, which God has not 
communicated to us, he determined 
to bring a portion, at least, of the hu- 
man race to salvation. This he did 
not intend to leave to chance and 
hap-hazard. He saw that all would 
of themselves reject the offer, and 
that unless some efficient means were 
used the blood of the atonement 
would be shed in vain. He did not 
make known to men who they were 
that he meant to save, nor the rea- 
son why they particularly were to be 
brought to heaven. Meantime he 
meant to make the offer universal; to 
make the terms as easy as possible, 
and thus to take away every ground 
of complaint. If men will no{ accept 
of pardon; if they prefer their sins; 
if nothing can induce them to come 
and be saved, why should they com- 
plain ? If the doors of a prison are 
open, and the chains of the prisoners 
are knocked off, and they will not 
come out, why should they complain 
that others are in fact willing to come 
out and be saved ? Let it be borne in 
mind that the purposes of God cor- 
respond exactly to facts as they actu- 
ally occur, and much of the difficulty 
is taken away. If in the facts there 
is no just ground of complaint, there 
can be none because it was the inten- 
tion of God that the facts should be so. 

6. To the praise of the glory of his 
grace. This is a Hebraism, and means 
the same as "to his glorious grace." 
The object was to excite thanksgiv- 
ing for his glorious grace manifested 
in electing love. The real tendency 
of the doctrine in minds that are 
properly affected is not to excite op- 
position to God, or to lead to the 
charge of partiality, tyranny, or sever- 
ity; it is to excite thankfulness and 
praise. In accordance with this, Paul 
introduced the # statement (vcr. 3) by 
saying that Gofi was to be regarded 
as "blessed" for forming and execu- 
ting this plan. The meaning is, thai 
the doctrine of predestination and 
election lays the foundation of ador- 



24 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



his grace, wherein he hath made 
us accepted a in the Beloved : 

a 1 Pet. 2. 5. 

ing gratitude and praise. This will 
appear plain by a few considerations. 
(1.) It is the only foundation of hope 
for man. If he were left to himself, 
all the race would reject the offers of 
mercy and would perish. History, 
experience, and the Bible alike dem- 
onstrate this. (2.) All the joys which 
any of the human race have are to he 
traced to the purpose of God to be- 
stow them. Man has no power of 
originating any of them, and if God 
had not intended to confer them none 
of them would have been possessed. 
(3.) All these favors are conferred on 
those who had no claim on God. The 
Christian who is pardoned had no 
claim on God for pardon; he who is 
admitted to heaven could urge no 
claim for such a privilege and honor ; 
he who enjoys comfort in the hour 
of death enjoys it only through the 
glorious grace of God. (4.) All that 
is done by election is fitted to excite 
praise. Election is to life, to pardon, 
to holiness, to heaven. But why 
should not a man praise God for* 
these things? God chooses men to 
be holy, not sinful ; to be harjpy, not 
miserable ; to be pure, not impure ; 
to be saved, not to he lost. For these 
things he should be praised. He 
should be praised that he has not left 
the whole race to wander away and 
die. Had he chosen but one of the 
human family to eternal life, that one 
should praise him, and all the universe 
should join in the praise. Should he 
now see it to be consistent to choose 
one of the fallen spirits, and to make 
him pure, and to readmit him to 
heaven, that one spirit would have 
occasion for eternal thanks, and all 
heaven might join in his praises. 
How much more is praise due to him 
when the number chosen is not one, 
or a- few, but when millions which no 
man can number shall be found to be 
chosen to life. Rev. vii. 9. (5.) The 
doctrine of predestination to life has 
added no pang of sorrow to any one 
of the human race. It has made mil- 
lions happy who would not otherwise 
have been, but not one miserable. It 
is not a choice to sorrow, it is a 
choice to joy and peace. (6.) No one 
has a right to complain of it. Those 
who are chosen assuredly should not 



7 In whom b we have redemp- 
tion through his blood, the foV 

5Heb. 9. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 18,19. 

complain of the grace which has 
made them what they are, and which 
is the foundation of all their hopes. 
They who are not chosen have no 
right to complain, for (a) they have 
no claim to life. (6) They are, in fact, 
unwilling to come. They have no de- 
sire to be Christians and to be saved. 
Nothing can induce them to forsake 
their sins and come to the Saviour. 
Why, then, should they complain if 
others are in fact willing to be saved? 
Why should a man complain for be- 
ing left to take his own course, and 
to walk in his own way? Mysteri- 
ous, therefore, as is the doctrine of 
predestination ; fearful and inscruta- 
ble as it is in some of its aspects, yet, 
in a just view of it, it is fitted to ex- 
cite the highest expressions of thanks- 
giving, and to exalt God in the ap- 
prehension of man. He who has 
been , edeemed and saved by the love 
of Gcd; he who has been pardoned 
and made pure by mercy; he on 
whom the eye of compassion has been 
tenderly fixed, and for whom the Son 
of God has died, has abundant cause 
for thanksgiving and praise. ^ Where- 
in he hath made us accepted. Has re- 
garded us as the objects of favor and 
complacency. If In the Beloved. In 
the Lord Jesus Christ, the well-be- 
loved Son of God. See Notes on 
Matt. iii. 17. He has chosen us in 
him, and it is through him that these 
mercies have been conferred on us. 

7. In whom we- have redemption. On 
the meaning of the word here ren- 
dered redemption (aTroXvTpcoaris), see 
Notes on Romans iii. 24. The word 
here, as there, denotes that deliver- 
ance from sin, and from the evil con- 
sequences of sin, which has been pro- 
cured by the atonement made by the 
Lord Jesus Christ. This verse is one 
of the passages which prove conclu* 
sively that the apostle here does not 
refer to nations and to national privi- 
leges. Of what nation could it be said 
that it had "redemption through the 
blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness 
of sins?" IF Through his blood. By 
means of the atonement which he 
has made. See this phrase fully ex- 
plained in the Notes on Rom. iii. 25. 
U The forgiveness of sins. We obtain 
through his blood, or through the 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER L 



25 



giveness of sins, according to the 
riches of his grace ; 
8 Wherein he hath abounded to- 



atonement which he has made, the 
forgiveness of sins. We are not to 
suppose that this is all the benefit 
which we receive from his death, or 
that this is all that constitutes re- 
demption. It is the main, and per- 
haps the most important thing. But 
we also obtain the hope of heaven, 
the influences of the Holy Spirit, 
grace to support us in trial, peace in 
death, and perhaps many more bene- 
fits. Still, forgiveness is so prominent 
and important that the apostle has 
mentioned that as if it were all. If Ac- 
cording to the riches of his grace. Ac- 
cording to his rich grace. See % sim- 
ilar phrase explained in the Notes on 
Rom. ii. 4. The word riches, in the 
form in which it is used here, occurs 
also in several other places in this 
epistle. Ch. i. 18; ii. 7; iii. 8,16 It 
is what Paley (Horce Paid.) cal "a 
cant phrase," and occurs often ill the 
writings of Paul. See Rom. ii. 4 ; ix. 
23 ; xi. 12, 33. Phil. iv. 9. Col. i. 27 ; 
ii. 2. It is not found in any of the 
other writings of the New Testament, 
except once, in a sense somewhat 
similar, in James (ii. 5): "Hath not 
God chosen the poor of this world 
rich in faith?" and Dr. Paley, from this 
fact, has constructed an argument to 
prove that this epistle was written 
by Paul. It is peculiar to him, and 
marks his style in a manner which 
can not be mistaken. An impostor, 
or a forger of the epistle, would not 
have thought of introducing it, and 
yet it is just such a. phrase as would 
naturally be used by Paul. 

8. Wherein he hath abounded. Which 
he has liberally manifested to us. 
This grace has not* been stinted and 
confined, but has been liberal and 
abundant. ^ In all wisdom. That is, 
he has evinced great wisdom in the 
plan of salvation ; wisdom in so sav- 
ing men as to secure the honor of his 
own law, and to prevent the evil ef- 
fects which would have followed from 
pardon without an atonement. Even 
while he pardons he secures the hon- 
or of his law, and the stability and 
good order of the universe. Sec 
Notes on 1 Cor. i. 24. ^1 And prudence. 
The word here used, typovvo-Ls, means 
understanding, thinking, prudence. 



ward us in all wisdom and pru- 
dence ; 

9 Having made known unto us 



The meaning here is that, so to speak, 
God had evinced great intelligence or 
thought in the plan of salvation. 
There was ample proof of mind and 
of thought. It was adapted to the end 
in view. It was far-seeing; skillful- 
ly arranged f carefully formed. The 
sense of the whole is that there was 
a wise design running through the 
whole plan, and abounding in it in an 
eminent degree. 

9. Having made known to us the mys- 
tery of his will. The word mystery f 
fxv(TTi)pLov, means literally something 
into which one must be initiated be- 
fore it is fully known (from fiviai, to 
initiate, to instruct), and then any 
thing which is concealed or hidden. 
We commonly use the word to de- 
note that which is above our compre- 
hension, or unintelligible. But this 
is never the meaning of the word in 
the New Testament. It denotes there 
some doctrine or fact which has been 
concealed, or which has not before 
been fully revealed, or which has been 
set forth only by figures and sym- 
bols. When the doctrine is made 
known it may be as clear and plain as 
any other. Such w T as the doctrine 
that God meant to call the Gentiles, 
which was long concealed, at least in 
part, and which was not fully made 
known until the Saviour came, and 
which had been till that time a mys- 
tery — a concealed truth — though when 
it was revealed there was nothing in- 
comprehensible in it. Thus, in Col. 
i. 26, "The mystery which hath been 
hid from ages and from generations, 
but now is made manifest to his 
saints." So it was in regard to the 
doctrine of election. It was a mys- 
tery until it was made known by the 
actual conversion of those whom God 
had chosen. So in regard to the in- 
carnation of the Redeemer; the atone- 
ment ; the whole plan of salvation. 
Over all these great points there was 
a veil thrown, and men did not under- 
stand them until God regaled them. 
When they were revealed the mys- 
tery was removed, and men were able 
to see clearly the manifestation of 
the will of God. H Which he hath pur- 
posed in himself. Without foreign aid 
or counsel. His purposes originated 



26 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



the mystery of his will, according 
to his good pleasure which he 
hath a purposed in himself : 

a 2 Tim. 1. 9. 



in his own mind, and were concealed 
until he chose to make them known. 
See 2 Tim. i. 9. 

10. That in the dispensation. The 
word here rendered "dispensation," 
oiKououia, means properlv the manage- 
men t of household affairs. Then it 
means stewardship or administration ; 
a dispensation or arrangement of 
things ; a scheme or plan. The mean- 
ing here is that this plan was formed 
in order (ds) or unto this end, that in 
the full arrangement of times, or in 
the arrangements completing the fill- 
ing up of the times, God might gath- 
er together in one all things. Tindal 
renders it, "to have it declared when 
the time was full come," etc. 1[ The 
fulness of times. When the times 
were fully completed; when all the 
periods should have passed by which 
he had prescribed, or had judged nec- 
essary to the completion of the ob- 
ject. The period referred to here is 
that when all things shall be gath- 
ered together in the Redeemer at the 
winding up of human affairs, or the 
consummation of all things. The ar- 
rangements were made with refer- 
ence to that, and embraced all things 
which conduced to that. The plan 
stretched from before " the founda- 
tion of the world" to the period when 
all times should be completed, and 
of course all the events occurring in 
that intermediate period were em- 
braced in the plan. If He might gather 
together in one. The word here used, 
avaKscpaXaiooo, means literally to sum 
up, to recapitulate, as an orator does 
at the close of his discourse. It is 
from K£(pa\rj, the head, or Kz<p6\aiov, 
the sum, the chief thing, the main 
point. In the New Testament, the 
word means to collect under one 
head, or to comprehend several things 
under one. Rom. xiii. 9. "It is brief- 
ly comprehended in this saying, name- 
ly,Thou shalt love," etc. That is, all 
is summed up under this one precept, 
Thou shalf love. ; In the passage 
before us it means that God would 
sum up, or comprehend all things in 
heaven and earth through the Chris- 
tian dispensation; he would make 
one empire, and bring all under one 
head, and under the same laws. The I 



10 That in th^ dispensation of 
the fulness of times he might 
gather together in one all things. 



reference is to the unity which will 
hereafter exist in the kingdom of 
God, when all his friends on earth 
and in heaven shall be united, and all 
shall have a common head. Now 
there is alienation. The earth has 
been separated from other worlds by 
rebellion. It has gone off into apos- 
tasy and sin. It refuses to acknowl- 
edge the Great Head to which other 
worlds are subject, and the object is 
to restore it to its proper place, so 
that there shall be one great and 
united kingdom. If All things, to. 
iravrd. It is remarkable that Paul 
has here used a word which is in the 
neuter gender. It is not all persons, 
all angels, or all men, or all the elect, 
but all things. Bloomfield and others 
suppose that persons are meant, and 
that the phrase is used for tov<s irdv- 
t-£s. But it seems to me that Paul 
did not use this word without design. 
All things are placed under Christ 
(ver. 22. Matt, xxviii. 18), and the de- 
sign of God is to restore harmony in 
the universe. Sin has produced dis- 
order not only in mind, but in matter. 
The world is disarranged. The ef- 
fects of transgression are seen every 
where; and the object. of the plan of 
redemption is to put things on their 
pristine footing, and restore them as 
they were at first. Every thing is, 
therefore, put under the Lord Jesus, 
and all things are to be brought un- 
der his control, so as to constitute 
one vast harmonious empire. The 
amount of the declaration here is, 
that there is hereafter to be one king- 
dom, in which there will be no jar or 
alienation ; that the now separated 
kingdoms of heaven and earth will 
be united under one head, and that 
henceforward all will be harmony and 
love. The things which are to be 
united in Christ are those which are 
"in heaven and which are on earth." 
Nothing is said of hell. Of course this 
passage can not teach the doctrine 
of universal salvation, since there is 
one world which is not to have a part * 
in this ultimate union, In Christ. 
By means of Christ, or under him, as 
the great head and king. He is to be 
the great agent in effecting this, and 
he is to preside over this united king- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



27 



in Christ, both which are in 1 heav- 
en and which are on earth : even 
in him, 



dom. In accordance with this view, 
the heavenly inhabitants, the angels 
as well as the redeemed, are uniform- 
ly represented as uniting in the same 
worship, and as acknowledging the 
Redeemer as their common head and 
king. Rev. v. 9, 10, 11, 12. If Both which 
are in heaven. Marg. as in Gr., in the 
heavens. Many different opinions have 
been formed of the meaning of this 
expression. Some suppose it to mean 
the saints in heaven who died before 
the coming of the Saviour; and some 
that it refers to the Jews, designated 
as the heavenly people, in contradis- 
tinction from the Gentiles, as having 
nothing divine and heavenl} 7 in them, 
and as being of the earth. The more 
simple and obvious interpretation is, 
however, without doubt, the correct 
one, and this is to suppose that it re- 
fers to the holy inhabitants of other 
worlds. The object of the plan of 
salvation is to produce a harmony be- 
tween them and the redeemed on 
earth, or to make out of all one great 
and united kingdom. In doing this 
it is not necessary to suppose that 
any change is to be produced in the 
inhabitants of heaven. All the change 
is to occur among those on earth, 
and the object is to make out of all 
worlds, however now separated by 
distance or by feeling, one harmoni- 
ous and glorious empire. 1 And which 
are on earth. The redeemed on earth. 
The design is to bring them into har- 
mony with the inhabitants of heaven. 
This is the great purpose proposed 
by the plan of salvation. It is to 
found one glorious and eternal king- 
dom, that shall comprehend all holy 
beings on earth and all in heaven. 
There is now discord and disunion. 
Man, by nature, is separated from 
God, and from all holy beings. He 
has no sympathy with the feelings 
and work of the angels ; no love for 
their employment ; no desire to be 
associated with them. Nothing can 
be more unlike than the customs, 
feelings, laws, and habits which pre- 
vail on earth and those which prevail 
in heaven. But the object of the plan 
of salvation is to restore harmony to 
those alienated communities, and pro- 
duce eternal concord and love. Learn 



11 In whom also we have ob- 
tained an inheritance, a being pre- 
destinated according to the pur- 

a Acts 20. 32. 

hence, (1.) The greatness and glory 
of the plan of salvation. It is no tri- 
fling undertaking to reconcile worlds, 
and of such discordant materials to 
found one great, and glorious, and 
eternal empire. (2.) The reason of the 
interest which angels feel in the plan 
of redemption. 1 Peter i. 12. They 
are deeply concerned in the redemp- 
tion of those who, with them, are* to 
constitute that great kingdom whicli^ 
is to be eternal. Without envy at the* 
happiness of others; without any 
feeling that the accession of others 
will diminish their felicity or gloiw, 
they wait to hail the coming of oth- 
ers, and rejoice to receive even one 
who comes to be united to their num- 
ber. Luke xv. 10; xvi. 22. (3.) This 
plan was worthy of the efforts of the 
Son of God. To restore harmony in 
heaven and earth; to prevent the 
evils of alienation and discord; to 
rear one immense and glorious king- 
dom, was an object sufficiently great 
and glorious to make his incarnation, 
his sufferings, and his death proper. 
(4.) The glory of the Redeemer. He 
is to be exalted as the Head of this 
united and ever-glorious kingdom, 
and all the redeemed on earth and the 
angelic hosts shall acknowledge him 
as their common sovereign and head. 
(5.) This is the greatest and most im- 
portant enterprise on earth. It should 
engage every heart, and enlist the 
powers of every soul. It should be 
the earnest desire of all to swell the 
numbers of those who shall consti- 
tute this united and ever -glorious 
kingdom ; to bring as many as possi- 
ble of the human race into union with 
the holy inhabitants of the other 
world. 

11. In whom also we have obtained an 
inheritance. We who are Christians. 
Most commentators suppose that by 
the word "we" the Jews particularly 
are intended, and that it stands in 
contradistinction from "ye," as refer- 
ring to the Gentiles, in ver. 13. This 
construction, they suppose, is de- 
manded by the nature of the passage. • 
The meaning may then be, that the 
Jews who were believers had Jirst ob- 
tained a part in the plan of redemp- 
tion, as the offer was first made to 



28 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



them, and then that the same favor 
was conferred also on the Gentiles. 
Or it may refer to those who had been 
first converted, without particular 
reference to the fact that they were 
Jews, and the allusion may be to the 
apostle and his fellow-laborers. This 
seems to me to be the correct inter- 
pretation : " We, the ministers of re- 
ligion, firs^ believed, and have ob- 
tained an inheritance in the hopes of 
Christians, that we should be to the 
praise of God's glory; and you also, 
after hearing the word of truth, be- 
lieved," ver. 13. The word which is 
rendered " obtained an inheritance," 
'k\i]p6co, means literally to acquire by 
lot, and then to obtain, to receive. 
Here .it means that they had received j 
the favor of being to the praise of his 

£lory for having first trusted in the 
(Ord Jesus. *{\ Being predestinated. 
Ver. 5. ^According to the purpose. 
On the meaning of the word purpose, 
see Notes on Rom. viii. 28. \ Of him 
who worketh all things. Of God, the 
universal agent. The affirmation here 
is not merely that God accomplishes 
the designs of salvation according to 
the counsel of his own will, but that 
he does every thing. His agency is not 
confined to one thing, or to one class 
of objects. Every object and event 
is under his control, and is in accord- 
ance with his eternal plan. The word 
rendered worketh, kvzpyiw, means to 
work, to be active, to produce. Eph. 
i. 20. Gal. ii. 8. Phil. ii. 13. A uni- 
versal agency is ascribed to him. 
"The same God which worketh all in 
all." 1 Cor. xii. 6. He has an agency 
in causing the emotions of our hearts. 
"God, who worketh in you both to 
will and to do of his good pleasure." 
Phil. ii. 13. He has an agency in dis- 
tributing to men their various allot- 
ments and endowments. "All these 
worketh that one and the self-same 
Spirit, dividing to every man several- 
ly as he will." 1 Cor. xii. 11. The 
agency of God is seen every where. 
Every leaf, flower, rose-bud, spire of 
grass ; every sunbeam and every flash 
of lightning, every cataract and every 
torrent, all declare his agency; and 
there is not an object that we see that 
does not bespeak the control of an 
• all-present God. It would be impos- 
sible to affirm more explicitly that 
God's agency is universal than Paul 
does in the passage before us. He 
does not attempt to prove it. It is 



one of those points on which he does 
not deem it necessary to pause and 
reason, but which may be regarded as 
a conceded point in the discussion of 
other topics, and which may be em- 
ployed' without hesitation in their il- 
lustration. Paul does not state the 
mode in which this is done. He af- 
firms merely the fact. He does not 
say that he compels men, or that he 
overpowers them by mere physical 
force. His agency he affirms to be 
universal ; but it is undoubtedly in 
accordance with the nature of the ob- 
ject, and with the laws which he has 
impressed on them. His agency in 
the work of creation was absolute and 
entire ; for there was nothing to act 
| on, and no established laws to be ob- 
served. Over the mineral kingdom 
his control must also be entire, yet in 
accordance with the laws which he 
has impressed on matter. The crys- 
tal and the snow are formed by his 
agency, but it is in accordance with 
the laws which he has been pleased to 
appoint. So in the vegetable world 
his agency is every where seen ; but 
the lily and the rose blossom in ac- 
cordance with uniform laws, and not 
in an arbitrary manner. So in the an- 
imal kingdom. God gives sensibility 
to the nerve, and excitability and 
power to the muscle. He causes the 
lungs to heave, and the arteries and 
veins to bear the blood along the 
channels of life, but it is not in an ar- 
bitrary manner. It is in accordance 
with the laws which he has ordained, 
and which he never disregards in his 
agency over these kingdoms. So in 
his government of mind. He 
"works" every where; but he does 
it in accordance with the laws of 
mind. His agency is not exactly of 
the same kind on the rose-bud that it 
is on the diamond, nor on the nerve 
that it is on the rose-bud, nor on the 
heart and will that it is on the nerve. 
In all these things he consults the 
laws which he has impressed on 
them; and as he chooses that the 
nerve should be affected in accordance 
with its laws and properties, so it is 
with mind. He does not violate its 
laws. Mind is free. It is influenced 
by truth and motives. It has a sense 
of right and wrong. And there is no 
more reason to suppose that God dis- 
regards these laws of mind in con- 
trolling the intellect and the heart 
than there is that he disregards the 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



29 



pose of him who worketh all things 
after the counsel of his own will ; 
12 That we should be to the 



laws of crystallization in the forma- 
tion of ice, or of gravitation in the 
movements of the, heavenly bodies. 
The general doctrine is, that God 
works in all things and controls all ; 
but that his agency every where is in ac- 
cordance with the laws and nature of that 
part of his kingdom where it is exerted. 
By this simple principle we may se- 
cure the two great points which it is 
desirable to secure on this subject: (1.) 
the doctrine of the universal agency 
of God; and (2.) the doctrine of the 
freedom and responsibility of man. 
\ After the counsel of his own will. Not 
by consulting his creatures, or con- 
forming to their views, but by his own 
views of what. is proper and right. 
We are not to suppose that this is by 
mere will, as if it were arbitrary, or 
that he determines any thing without 
a good reason. The meaning is, that 
his purpose is determined by what he 
views to be right, and without con- 
sulting his creatures, or conforming 
to their views. His dealings often 
seem to us to be arbitrary. We are 
incapable of percajjing the reasons 
of whai he does, fpe makes those his 
frienJ^vho we should have supposed 
would have been the last to become 
Christians. He leaves those who 
seem to us to be on the borders of the 
kingdom, and they remain unmoved 
and unaffected. But we are not 
thence to suppose that he is arbitra- 
ry. In every instance we are to be- 
lieve that there is a good reason for 
what he does, and one which we may 
be permitted yet to see, and in which 
we shall wholly acquiesce. The 
phrase "counsel of his own will" is 
remarkable. It is designed to express 
in the strongest manner the fact that 
it is not by human counsel or advice. 
The word " counsel" — (3ov\v — means 
a council or senate; then a determina- 
tion, purpose, decree. See Rob. Lex. 
Here it means that his determination 
was formed by his own will, and not 
by human reasoning. Still, his will 
in the case may not have been arbi- 
trary. When it is said of man that he 
forms his own purposes, and acts ac- 
cording to his own will, wc are not to 
infer that he acts without reason. He 
may have the highest and best rea- 



praise of his glory who first 1 trust- 
ed in Christ. 
13 In whom ye also trusted, after 

1 or, hoped. 

sons for what he does, but he does 
not choose to make them known to 
others, or to consult others. So it 
may be of God, and so we should pre- 
sume it to be. It may be added, that 
we ought to have such confidence in 
him as to believe that he will do all 
things well. The best possible evi- 
dence that anj 7 thing is done in per- 
fect wisdom and goodness is the fact 
that God does it. When we have as- 
certained that, we should be satisfied 
that all is right. 

12. That we should be to the praise of 
his glory. Should be the occasion or 
the means of celebrating his glory, or 
that praise should be ascribed to him 
as the result of our salvation. H Who 
first trusted in Christ. Marg., hoped. 
This is in accordance with the origi- 
nal. The foundation of their hope was 
the Saviour. Some suppose that the 
apostle here refers to the Jews who 
were converted before the Gospel was 
preached extensively to the Gentiles. 
The reason for this opinion is, that in 
the following verse he contrasts those 
to whom he here refers with others 
whom he was addressing. But it may 
be that by the word "we" in verses 
11, 12, he refers to himself and to his 
fellow-laborers who had fi?*st hoped in 
the Saviour, and had then gone and 
proclaimed the message to others. 
See Notes on verse 11. The apostles 
first believed, and then preached to 
others; those to whom they preached 
also believed, and became partakers 
of the same privileges. 

13. In whom ye also trusted. This 
stands in contrast with those who had 
Jirs^mbraeed the Gospel. If Heard 
the ^rd <f truth. The Gospel ; called 
the word or message of truth, the 
word of God, etc. See Romans x. 17. 
The phrase " the word of truth" means 
"the true word or message." It was 
a message unmixed with Jewish tra- 
ditions or Gentile philosophy. If The 
gospel of yo ur salvation. The Gospel 
bringing salvation to you. 1 ffl whom 
also. In the Lord Jesus. A little dif- 
ferent translation of this verse will 
convey more clearly its meaning. 
"In whom also, ye, having heard the 
word of truth (the Gospel of your sal- 
vation), in whom having also believed, 



30 



EPHESIANS. 



LA.D. 64. 



that ye heard a the word of truth, 
the gospel of your salvation : in 
whom also, after that ye believed, 
ye were sealed b with that holy 
Spirit of promise, 



a Rom. 10. 17. b 2 Cor. 1. 22. 



14 Which is the earnest c of our 
inheritance, until the redemption^ 
of the purchased e possession, unto 
the^' praise of his glory. 

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard 



/ ver. 6, 12. 



ye were sealed," etc. The sealing was 
the result of believing, and that was 
the result of hearing the Gospel. 
Compare Romans x. 14, 15. If Ye were 
sealed. On the meaning of the word 
seal, see Notes on John iii. 33 ; vi. 27. 
On the phrase "ye were sealed," see 
Notes on 2 Cor. i. 22. If With that 
holy /Spirit of promise. With the Holy 
Spirit that was promised. See John 
xvi. 7-11, 13; xv. 26; xiv. 16, 17. It 
is not improbable, I think, thaH the 
apostle here refers particularly to the 
occurrence of which we have a record 
in Acts xix. 1-6. Pauljsit is there 
said, having passed through the up- 
per provinces of Asia Minor, came to 
Ephesus. He found certain persons 
who were the disciples of John, and 
he asked them if they had received the 
Holy Ghost since they "believed," 
ver. 2. They replied that they had 
not heard whether there was any 
Holy Ghost, and that they had been 
baptized unto John's baptism. Paul 
then taught them the true nature of 
the baptism of John; explained to 
them the Christian system ; and they 
were baptized in the name of the 
Lord Jesus, and "the Holy Ghost 
came upon them, and they spake with 
tongues, and prophesied." They were 
thus sealed by the Holy Spirit of 
promise "after they had believed" 
(Eph. i. 13) ; they had the full evidence 
of the favor of God in the descent of 
the promised Holy Spirit, and in his 
miraculous influences. If this be the 
true interpretation, it constitu] 
striking coincidence between tl 
tie and the Acts, of such a nafi 
constitute the arguments in Paley's 
Horce Paulinas (though he has not re- 
ferred to this), which shows that the 
epistle was not forged. The circum- 
stance is such that it would not have 
been alluded to in this manner by one 
who should forge the epistle; and the 
mention of it in the epistle is so 
slight, that no one, from the account 
there, would think of forging the ac- 
count in the Acts. The coincidence 
is just such as would occur on the 
supposition that the transaction actu- 



ally occurred, and that both the Acts 
and the epistle are genuine. At the 
same time, there is a sealing of the 
Holy Spirit which is common to all 
Christians. See the Notes referred to 
on 2 Cor. i. 22. 

14. Which is the earnest of our inhen*- 
itance. On the meaning of this, see 
Notes on 2 Cor. i. 22. ^f Until the re- 
demption. See Notes on Rom. viii. 23. 
The meaning here is, we have the 
Holy Spirit as the pledge that the in- 
heritance shall be ours, and that the 
Holy Spirit will be imparted to us 
until we enter on that inheritance. 
If Of the purchased possession. Heaven, 
purchased for us by the death of the 
Redeemer. The word here used, tte- 
pnroiiiai<s, occurs in the following 

I places in the New Testament: 1 Thess. 
v. 9, rendered "to obtain salvation;" 

l 2 Thess. ii. 14," to the obtaining of the 
glory of the Lord;" Heb. x. 39, "to 
the saving of the soul;" 1 Pet. ii. 9, 
"a, peculiar peopleJfcLiterally, a people 



_ LeJMit 

of acquirement to iBiself; an(On the 

passage before us. it properly means, 
an acquisition, an obtaining, a laying 
up. Here it means, the complete de- 
liverance from sin, and the eternal 
salvation acquired for us by Christ. 
The influence of the Holy Spirit, re- 
newing and sanctifying us, comfort- 
ing us in trials, and sustaining us in 
afflictions, is the pledge that the re- 
demption is yet to be wholly ours. 
If Unto the praise of his glory. See 
j ver. 6. 

15. Wherefore I also, after I heard of 
your faith in the Lord Jesus. This is 
j one of the passages usually relied on 
! by those who suppose that this epis- 
; tie was not written to the Ephesians. 
j The argument is, that he writes to 
; them as if they were strangers to him, 
and that it is not language such as 
would be used in addressing a people 
among whom he had spent three 
! years. See the Introd. § 5. But this 
\ inference is not conclusive. Paul had 
I been some years absent from Ephesus 
! when this epistle was written. In 
i the difficult communication in those 
! times between distant places, it is not 



itutes i 
the$pis 

i a tu re eu 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



31 



of your faith in the Lord Jesus, 
and love unto all the saints, 

16 Cease not to give thanks for 
you, making mention of you in my 
prayers ; 

17 That the God a of our Lord 

a Jno. 20. 17. b Col. 1.9. 



to be supposed that lie would hear 
often from them. Perhaps he had 
heard nothing after the time when he 
bade farewell to the elders of Ephesus 
at Miletus (Acts xx.) until the time 
here referred to. It would be, tkere- 
fore, a matter of great interest with 
him to hear from them ; and when in 
some way intelligence was brought 
to him at Rome of a very gratifying 
character about their growth in piety, 
he says that his anxiety was relieved, 
and^hat he did not cease to give 
thaircs for what he had heard, and to 
commend them to God in prayer. 

16. Cease not to give thanks for you. 
In the prosperity of the Church at 
Ephesus he could not but feel the 
deepest interest, and their welfare he 
never forgot. 1 Making mention of you 
in my prayers. Paul was far distant 
from them, and expected to see them 
no more. But he had faith in prayer, 
and he sought that they might ad- 
vance in knowledge and in grace. 
What was the particular subject of 
his prayers he mentions in the follow- 
ing verses. 

17. That the God of our Lord Je*sus 
Christ. The God who has sent the 
Lord Jesus into the world, and ap- 
pointed him as the. Mediator between 
himself and man. The particular rea- 
son why Paul here speaks of him as 
"the God of the Lord Jesus 1 ' is, that 
he prays that they might be further 
acquainted with the Redeemer, and be 
enlightened in regard to the great 
work which he came to do. H The 
Father of glory. The glorious Father, 
that is, the Father who is worthy to 
be praised and honored. T[ May give 
unto you the Spirit of wisdom. May 
make you wise to understand the 
great doctrines of the religion of the 
Redeemer. H And revelation. Or of 
insight, disclosing to you more and 
more of the character of the Redeem- 
er, and of the nature and results of 
his work. It is probable here that by 
the word "Spirit" the apostle refers 
to the Holy Spirit as the author of 
all wisdom, and the revealer of all 



Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, 
may give unto you the Spirit of 
wisdom 6 and revelation 1 in the 
knowledge of him : 

18 The eyes of c your understand- 
ing being enlightened ; that ye 

1 or, for the acknowledgment. c Isa. 42. 7. 

truth. His prayer is, that God would 
grant to them the Holy Spirit to 
make them wise, and to make known 
his will to them. 1 In the knowledge 
of him. Marg. ,/or the acknowledgment. 
That is, in order that you may more 
fully acknowledge him, or know him 
more intimately and thoroughly. 
They had already made high attain- 
ments (ver. 15), but Paul felt that they 
might make still higher; and the idea 
here is, that however far Christians' 
may have advanced in knowledge and 
in love, there is an unfathomed depth 
of wisdom which they may still ex- 
plore, and which they should be ex- 
horted still to attempt to fathom. 
How far was Paul from supposing 
that the Ephesians had attained to 
perfection ! 

18. The eyes of your understanding be- 
ing enlightened. The construction here 
in the Greek is, probably, "that he 
may give you (3ojij, ver. 17) the Spirit 
of wisdom, etc. — eyes of the under- 
standing enlightened," etc. Or the 
phrase, 11 the eyes of your understand- 
ing being enlightened," may be in 
the accusative absolute, which Koppe 
and Bloomfield prefer. The phrase 
"the eyes of the understanding" is a 
figure that is common in all lan- 
guages. Thus Philo says, " What the 
eye is to the body, that is the mind to 
the soul." Comp. Matt. vi. 22. The 
eye is the instrument by which we 
see; and in like manner the under- 
standing is that by which we perceive 
truth. The idea here is, that Paul 
not only wished their Jiearts to be 
right, but he wished their understand- 
ing to be right also. Religion has 
much to do in enlightening the mind. 
Indeed, its effect there is not less 
striking and decisive than it is on the 
heart. The understanding has been 
blinded by sin. The views which 
men entertain of themselves and of 
God are narrow and wrong. The un- 
derstanding is enfeebled and pervert- 
ed by the practice of iniquity. It is 
also limited in its operations by the 
| necessity of the case, and by the ini 



32 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



may know what is the hope a of 
his calling, and what the riches 6 
of the glory of his inheritance in 
the saints, 



19 And what is the exceeding 
greatness of his power c to us- ward 
who believe, according to the work- 
ing 1 of his mighty power, 

c Psa. 110. 3. 1 the might of his power. 



possibility of fully comprehending the 
great truths which pertain to the di- 
vine administration. One of the first 
effects of true religion is on the un- 
derstanding. It enlarges its views of 
truth ; gives it more exalted concep- 
tions of God; corrects its errors; 
raises it up toward the great Foun- 
tain of love; and nowhere is the ef- 
fect of true religion more apparent 
than in shedding light on the intellect j 
of the world, and restoring the weak 
and perverted mind to a just view of 
the proportion of things, and to the 
true knowledge of God. If That ye 
may know ivhat is the hope of his calling. 
What is the full import of that hope 
to which he has called and invited 
you by his Spirit and his promises. 
The meaning here is, that it would be 
an inestimable privilege to be made 
fully acquainted with the benefits of 
the Christian hope, and to be permit- 
ted to understand what Christians 
have a right to expect in the world of 
glory. This is the first thing which 
the apostle desires they should fully 
understand. % And what the riches of 
the glory of his inheritance. This is the 
second thing which Paul wishes them 
to understand. There is a force in 
this language which can be found, per- 
haps, nowhere else than in the writ- 
ings of Paul. His mind is full, and 
language is burdened and borne down 
under the weight of his thoughts. 
See Notes on 2 Cor. iv. 17. On the 
word "riches" here used, see Notes 
on verse 7. The phrase "riches of 
glory" means glorious wealth; or, as 
we would say, "how rich and glori- 
ous!" The meaning is, that ftiere is 
an abundance, an infinitude of wealth. 
It is not such a possession as man 
may be heir to in this world, which 
is always limited from the necessity 
of the case, and which can not be en- 
joyed long; it is infinite and inex- 
haustible. Comp. Notes on Rom. ii. 
4. The "inheritance" here referred 
to is eternal life. See Notes on Rom. 
viii. 17. If In the saints. Among the 
saints. See Notes on 1 Cor. i. 2. 

19. And what is the exceeding greatness 
of 7iis power. On the language here 



used, compare Notes on 2 Cor. iv. 17. 
There is much emphasis and energy 
of expression here, as if the apostle 
was laboring under the greatness of 
his theme, and wanted words to ex- 
press the magnitude of his concep- 
tion. This is the third thing which 
he was particularly desirous they 
should know — that they should be 
fully acquainted with the power of God 
in the salvation of men. He refers 
not merely to the power which he had 
evinced in their salvation, but also to 
what the Gospel was able to accom- 
plish, and which they might yet expe- 
rience. The " power" referred to here 
as exercised toward believers does not 
refer to one thing merely. It is the 
whole series of the acts of power to- 
ward Christians which results from 
the work of the Redeemer. There 
was power excited in their conver- 
sion. There would be power exerted 
in keeping them. There would be 
power in raising them up from the 
dead, and exalting them with Christ 
to heaven. The religion which they 
professed was a religion of power. In 
all the forms and stages of it the pow- 
er of God was manifested towards 
them, and would be until they reached 
tlieir final inheritance. To us-ward. 
Toward us, or, in relation to us. 
U Who believe. Who are Christians. 
H According to the working of his mighty 
power. Marg. , The might of his power. 
This should be taken with the clause 
in the following verse, "which he 
wrought in Christ;" and the meaning 
is, that the power which God has ex- 
erted in us is in accordance with the 
power which was shown in raising up 
the Lord Jesus. It was the proper 
result of that, and was power of a 
similar kind. The same power is req- 
uisite to convert a sinner which is de- 
manded in raising the dead. Comp. 
John v. 21, 25. Neither will be accom- 
plished but by omnipotence (see 
Notes on chap. ii. 5) ; and the apostle 
wished that they should be fully ap- 
prised of this fact, and of the vast 
power which God had put forth in rais- 
ing them*up from the death of sin. 
To illustrate this sentiment is one of 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



33 



20 Which he wrought in Christ, j power, and might, and dominion, 
when he a raised him from the and every name that is named, not 



dead, and set him at his own right 
hand in the heavenly places, 
21 Far b above all principality, and 



b Phil. 2. 9. Col. 2. 10. 



^nly in this world, but also in that 
which is to come ; * 
22 And hath put c all things un- 



c Psa. 8. 6. Matt. 28. 18. 



his designs in the following verses; 
and hence he goes on to show that 
men before their conversion were 
"dead in trespasses and sins;" that 
they had no spiritual life ; that they 
were the "children of wrath ;" that 
they were raised up from their death 
in sin by the same power which raised 
the Lord Jesus from the grave, and 
that they were wholly saved by grace. 
Ch. ii. 1-10. In order to set this idea 
of the power which God had put forth 
in their regeneration in the strongest 
light, he goes into a magnificent de- 
scription of the resurrection and ex- 
altation of the Lord Jesus, and shows 
how that was connected with the re- 
newing of Christians. God had set 
him over all things. He had put all 
worlds under his feet, and had made 
principalities and dominions every 
where subject to him. In this whole 
passage (chap. i. 19-23 ; ii. 1-10), the 
main thing to be illustrated is the 
power which God has shown in re- 
newing and saving his people; and 
the leading sentiment is, that the 
same power is evinced in that which 
was required to raise up the Lord Je- 
sus from the dead, and to exalt him 
over the universe. 

20. Which he wrought in Christ. 
Which he exerted in relation to the 
Lord Jesus when he was dead. The 
power which was then exerted was as 
great as that of creation. It was im- 
parting life to a cold and "mangled" 
frame. It was to open again the ar- 
teries and veins, and to teach the heart 
to beat and the lungs to heave. It 
was to diffuse vital warmth through 
the rigid muscles, and to communi- 
cate to the body the active functions 
of life. It is impossible to conceive 
of a more direct exertion of power 
than in raising up the dead ; and there 
is no more striking illustration of the 
nature of conversion than such a res- 
urrection. H And set him at his own 
right hand. The idea is that great 
power was displayed by this, and that 
a similar exhibition is made when 
man is renewed and exalted to the 
high honor of being made an heir of 
B 2 



God. On the fact that Jesus was re- 
ceived to the right hand of God, see 
Notes on Mark xvi. 19. Comp. Notes 
on Acts ii. 33. ^ In the heavenly places. 
See Notes on ver 3. The phrase here 
evidently means in heaven itself. 

21. Far above all principality. The 
general sense in this verse is, that the 
Lord Jesus was exalted to the high- 
est conceivable dignity and honor. 
Comp. Phil. ii. 9. Col. ii. 10. In this 
beautiful and most important passage 
the apostle labors for words to con- 
vey the greatness of his conceptions, 
and uses those which denote the high- 
est conceivable dignity and glory. 
The main idea is, that God had mani- 
fested great power in thus exalting the 
Lord Jesus, and that similar power 
was exhibited in raising up the sinner 
from the death of sin to the life and 
honor of believing. The work of re- 
ligion throughout is a work of pow- 
er, a work of exalting and honoring 
the dead, whether dead in sin or in the 
grave; and Christians ought to know 
the extent and glory of the power 
thus put forth in their salvation. The 
word rendered "far above," virtpavio, 
is a compound word, meaning high 
above, or greatly exalted. He was not 
merely above the ranks of the heaven- 
ly beings, as the head; he was not 
one of their own rank, placed by office 
a little above them, but he was infi- 
nitely exalted over them all, as of dif- 
ferent rank and dignity. How could 
this be if he were a mere man, or if 
he were an angel? The word ren- 
dered "principality," apxv, means 
properly the beginning, and then the 
first, the first place, power, dominion, 
pre-eminence, rulers, magistrates, etc. 
It may refer here to any rank and 
power, whether among men or angels, 
and the sense is, that Christ is exalt- 
ed above all. U And power. It is not 
easy to distinguish between the exact 
meaning of the words which the apos- 
tle here uses. The general idea is, 
that Christ is elevated above all ranks 
of creatures, however exalted, and by 
whatever name they may be known. 
As in this he refers to the "world that 



34 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



der his feet, and gave him to be the 23 Which is his body, a the ful- 
head over all things to the church, ness of him that filleth all in all. 



is to come," as well as this world, it 
is clear that there is a reference here 
to the ranks of the angels, and proba- 
bly he means to allude to the prevail- 
ing opinion among the Jews, that the 
angels are of different orders. Some 
of the Jewish rabbis reckon four, 
others ten orders of angels, and they 
presume to give them names accord- 
ing to their different ranks and pow- 
er. But all this is evidently the re- 
sult of mere fancy. The Scriptures 
hint in several places at a difference 
of rank among the angels, but the sa- 
cred writers do not go into detail. It 
may be added that there is no improb- 
ability in such a subordination, but it 
is rather to be presumed to be true. 
The creatures of God are not made 
alike, and difference of degree and 
rank, as far as our observation ex- 
tends, every where prevails. On this 
verse compare Notes on Rom. viii. 38. 
^Dominion. Gi\, Lordship. And ev- 
ery name that is named. Every creat- 
ure ox every rank. TI Not only in this 
world. Not only above all kings, and 
I>rinces, and rulers of every grade and 
rank on earth. ^[ But also in that which 
is to come. This refers undoubtedly 
to heaven. The meaning is, that he 
is supreme over all. 

22. And hath put all things under his 
feet. See Not es on 1 Cor. xv. 27. 
IT And gave him to be the head over all 
things. Appointed him to be the su- 
preme ruler. If To the Church. With 
reference to the Church, or for its ben- 
efit and welfare. See Notes on John 
xvii. 2. The universe is under his 
control and direction for the welfare 
of his people. (1.) All the elements 
— the physical works of God — the 
winds and waves — the seas and rivers 
— all are under him, and all are to be 
made tributary to the welfare of the 
Church. (2.) Earthly kings and rul- 
ers, kingdoms and nations, are under 
his control. Thus far Christ has con- 
trolled all the wicked rulers of the 
earth, and they have not been able to 
destroy that Church which he redeem- 
ed with his own blood. (3.) Angels 
in heaven, with all their ranks and or- 
ders, are under his control with refer- 
ence to the Church. See Notes on 
Heb. i. 14. Comp. Matt. xxvi. 53. (4.) 
Fallen angels are under his control, 



a 1 Cor. 12. 12. Col. 1. 18, 24. 



and shall not be able to injure or de- 
stroy the Church. See Notes on Matt, 
xvi. 18. The Church, therefore, is 
safe. All the great powers of heaven, 
earth, and hell are made subject to its 
Head and King, and no weapon that 
is formed against it shall prosper. 

23. Which is his body. This compar- 
ison of the Church with a person or 
body, of which the Lord Jesus is the 
head, is not uncommon in the New 
Testament. Comp, Notes on 1 Cor. 
xi. 3 ; xii. 27. Eph. iv. 15, 16. \ The 
fulness of him. The word here ren- 
dered fullness, 7r\i]pw/j.a, means prop- 
erly that with which any thing is 
filled; the filling up; the contents. 
See Notes on Rom. xi. 12. The exact 
idea here, however, is not very clear, 
and interpreters have been by no 
means united in their opinions of the 
meaning. It seems probable that the 
sense is, that the Church is the comple- 
tion or filling up of his power and 
glory. It is that without which his 
dominion w r ould not be complete. 
He has control over the angels and 
over distant worlds, but his dominion 
would not be complete without the 
control over his Church, and that is 
so glorious that it fills up the honor 
of the universal dominion, and makes 
his empire complete. According to 
Rosenmiiller, the ^ or & fullness here 
means a great number or multitude : a 
multitude, says he, which, not con- 
fined to its own territory, spreads 
afar, and fills various regions. Koppe 
also regards it as synonymous with 
multitude or many, and supposes it to 
mean all the dominion of the Re- 
deemer over the body — the Church. 
He proposes to translate the whole 
verse, u He has made him the Head 
over his Church, that he might rule it 
as his own body — the whole wide state 
of his universal kingdom." "This," 
says Calvin (in loco), "is the highest 
honor of the Church, that the Son of 
God regards himself as in a certain 
sense imperfect unless he is joined to 
us." The Church constitutes the com- 
plete body of the Redeemer. A body 
is complete when it has all its mem- 
bers and limbs in proper proportion, 
and those members might be said to 
be the completion, the filling up, or the 
fullness, TrXijpto/ixa, of the body or the 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



^3 



person. This language would not, in- 
deed, be such as would usually be 
adopted to express the idea now ; but 
this is evidently the sense in which 
Paul uses it here. The meaning is, 
that the Church sustains the same re- 
lation to Christ which the body does 
to the head. It helps. to form the en- 
tire person. There is a close and nec- 
essary union. The one is not com- 
plete without the other. The one is 
dependent on the other. When the 
body has all its members in due pro- 
portion, and is in sound and vigorous 
health, the whole person then is com- 
plete and entire. So it is to be in the 
kingdom of the Redeemer. He is the 
head, and the redeemed Church is the 
body, the fullness, the completion, the 
filling up of the entire empire over 
which he presides, and which he rules. 
On the meaning of the word fullness, 
7r \ r\ p to fx a, the reader may consult 
Storr's Opuscula, vol. i., pp. 144-187, 
particularly pp. 169-183. Storr un- 
derstands the word in the sense of 
full or abundant mercy, and supposes 
that it refers to the great benignity 
which God has shown to his people, 
and renders it, " The great benignity 
of him who filleth all things with 
good, as he called Jesus from the dead 
to life, and placed him in heaven, so 
even you, sprung from the heathen, 
who were dead in sin on account of 
your many offences in which you for- 
merly lived, etc., hath he called to life 
by Christ." This verse, therefore, he 
would connect with the following 
chapter, and he regards it all as de- 
signed to illustrate the great power 
and goodness of God. Mr. Locke ren- 
ders it, "Which is his body, which is 
completed by him alone," and sup- 
poses it to mean that Christ is the 
head who perfects the Church by sup- 
plying all things to all its members 
which they need. Chandler gives an 
interpretation in acordance with that 
which I have first suggested, as mean- 
ing that the Church is the full " com- 
plement" of the body of Christ, and 
refers to ^Elian and Dionysius Hali- 
carnassus, who use the word "full- 
ness," or Trkvptofxa, as referring to the 
rowers of a ship. Thus also we say 
that the ship's crew is its "comple- 
ment," or that a ship or an army has 
its complement of men; that is, the 
ranks are filled up or complete. In 
like manner, the Church will be the 
filling up, or the complement of the 




great kingdom of the Redeemer — that 
which will give completion or perfect- 
ness to his universal dominion. If Of 
Mm. Of the Redeemer. ][ That filleth 
all in all. That fills all things, or who 
pervades all things. See Notes on 
1 Cor. xii. 6; xv. 2§. Comp. Cql. iii. 
11. The idea is, that there is no place 
where he is not, and which he does 
net fill ; and that he is the source of 
all the holy and happy influences that 
are abroad in the works of God. It 
would not be easy to conceive of an 
expression more certainly denoting- 
omnipresence and universal agency 
than this; and if it refers to the Lord 
Jesus, as seems to be indisputable, 
the passage teaches not only his su- 
premacy^^ demonstrates his univer- 
sal agency and his omnipresence — 
things that pertain only to God. 
From this passage we may observe: 
(1.) That just views of the exaltation 
of the Redeemer are to be obtained 
only by the influence of the Spirit of 
God on the heart. Vs. 17-19. Man, 
by nature, has no just conceptions of 
the exalted rank of the Saviour, and 
has no desire to have. It is only as 
the knowledge of that great doctrine 
is imparted to the mind by the Spirit 
of God that we have any practical and 
saving acquaintance with such an ex- 
altation. The Christian sees him, by 
faith, raised to the right hand of God, 
and cheerfully commits himself and 
his all to him, and feels that his inter- 
ests are safe in his hands. (2.) It is 
very desirable to have such views of 
an exalted Saviour. So Paul felt when 
he earnestly prayed that God would 
give such views to the Ephesians, vs. 
17-20. It was desirable in order that 
they might have a right understand- 
ing of their privileges ; in order that 
they might know the extent of the 
power which had been manifested in 
their redemption ; in order that they 
might commit their souls with confi- 
dence to him. In my conscious weak- 
ness and helplessness; when I am 
borne down by the labors, and ex- 
posed to the temptations of life; when 
I contemplate approaching sickness 
and death, I desire to fee! that that 
Saviour to whom I have committed 
my all is exalted far above principal- 
ities and powers, and every name that 
is named. When the Church is per- 
secuted and opposed ; when hosts of 
enemies rise up against it and threat- 
en its peace and safety, I rejoice to 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



CHAPTER H. 

AND you a hath he quickened, 
who were dead in trespasses 
and sins ; 

a John 5. 24. Col. 2. 13. 



2 Wherein b in time past ye walk- 
ed according to the course of this 
world, according to the prince c of 
the power of the air, the spirit that 



b Acts 19.35. 



feel assured the Redeemer and Head 
of the Church is over all, and that he 
has power to subdue all her foes and 
his. (3.) The Church is 'safe. Its 
great Head is on the throne of the 
universe, and no weapon that is form- 
ed against it can prosper. He has de- 
fended it hitherto in all times of per- 
secution, and the past is a pledge that 
he will continue to protect it to the 
end of the world. (4.) Let us commit 
our souls to this exalted Redeemer. 
Such a Redeemer we need — one who 
has all power in heaven and earth. 
Such a religion we need— that can re- 
store the dead to life. Such hope and 
confidence we need as he can give — 
such peace and calmness as shall re- 
sult from unwavering confidence in 
him who filleth all in all. 

CHAPTER II. 

ANALYSIS. 

This chapter is closely connected in 
sense with the preceding, and should 
not have been separated from it. The 
great object is to illustrate the sub- 
ject which was commenced in the pre- 
vious chapter (ver. 19) — the greatness 
of the power of God evinced in the 
salvation of his people. The great 
manifestation of his power had been 
in raising up the Lord Jesus from the 
dead. That had been connected with 
and followed by their resurrection 
from the death of sin, and the one had 
involved the exercise of a power sim- 
ilar to the other. In the illustration 
of this main idea, the apostle observes 
(ver. 1) that God had quickened those 
who had been dead in trespasses and 
sins, and proceeds (vs. 2, 3) to show 
the condition in which they were be- 
fore their conversion. He then ob- 
serves (vs. 4-7) that God, of his infinite 
mercy, when they were dead in sin, 
had quickened them together with 
Christ, and had raised them up to sit 
with him in heavenly places. He then 
states that this was not by human 
power, but was the work of divine 
power, and that they were the work- 
manship of God, verses 8-10. ' The re- 
mainder of the chapter (vs. 11-22) is 
occupied with a statement of the priv- 



resulting from the mercy of God 
in calling them into his kingdom. The 
apostle endeavors to impress their 
minds deeply with a sense of the mer- 
cy, the love, and the power of God in 
thus calling them to himself. He re- 
minds them of their former condition 
when Gentiles, as being without God, 
and that they were now brought nigh 
by the blood of Christ (vs. 11-13); he 
states that this had been done by one 
great Mediator, who came to break 
down the wall of partition between 
the Jews and Gentiles, and who had 
now made both one (vs. 14-18) ; and 
he compares them now to a temple 
built for God, and to constitute the 
place of his dwelling on the earth. 
Vs. 19-22. By all these considerations 
he endeavors to impress their minds 
with a sense of obligation, and to lead 
them to devote themselves to that 
God who had raised them from the 
dead, and who had breathed into them 
the breath of immortal life. 

1. And you hath he quickened. The 
words "hath he quickened," or made 
to live, are supplied, but not improp- 
erly, by our translators. The object 
of the apostle is to show the great 
power which God had evinced toward 
his people (chap. i. 19) ; and to show 
that this was put forth in connection 
with the resurrection of the Lord Je- 
sus, and his exaltation to the right 
hand of God in heaven. See Notes on 
Rom. vi. 4-11. Comp. Col. ii. 12, 13 ; 
iii. 1. The words "hath he quick- 
ened" mean hath he made alive, or 
made to live. John v. 21. Rom. iv. 
17. 1 Cor. xv. 36. If Who were dead in 
tres%)asses and sins. On the meaning 
of the word dead, see Notes on Rom. 
v. 12;*vi. 2. It is affirmed here of 
those to whom Paul wrote at Ephe- 
sus, that before they were converted 
they were "dead in sins." There is 
not any where a more explicit proof 
of depravity than this, and no stron- 
ger language can be used. They were 
dead in relation to that to which they 
afterward became alive — that is, to 
holiness. Of course, the idea is not 
that they were in all respects dead. 
It does not mean that they had no an- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



87 



now worketh in the children a of 
disobedience : 

a Col. 3. 6. 

imal life, or that they did not breathe, 
and walk, and act. Nor can it mean 
that they had no living intellect or 
mental powers, which would not have 
been true. Nor does it settle any 
question as to their ability or power 
while in that state. It simply affirms 
a fact — that in relation to real spirit- 
ual life they were, in consequence of 
sin, like a dead man in regard to the 
objects which are around him. A 
corpse is insensible. It sees not, and 
hears not, and feels not. The sound 
of music, and the voice of friendship, 
or of alarm, do not arouse it. , The 
rose and the lily breathe forth their 
fragrance around it, but the corpse 
perceives it not. The world is busy 
and active around it, but it is uncon- 
scious of it all. It sees no beauty in 
the landscape; hears not the voice of 
a friend ; looks not upon the glorious 
sun and stars; is unaffected by the 
running stream and the rolling ocean. 
So with the sinner in regard to the 
spiritual and eternal world. He sees 
no beauty in religion ; he hears not 
the call bf God ; he is unaffected by 
the dying love of the Saviour; he has 
no interest in eternal reali^^s. In all 
these he feels no more concern, and 
sees no more beauty, than a dead man 
does in the world around him. Such 
is, in fact, the condition of a sinful 
world. There is, indeed, life, and en- 
ergy, and motion ; there are vast plans 
and projects, and the world is intense- 
ly active; but in regard to religion 
all is dead. The sinner sees no beauty 
in it, and no human power can arouse 
him to act for God, any more than 
human power can rouse the sleeping 
dead, or open the sightless eyeballs 
on the light of day. The same power 
is needed in the conversion of a sin- 
ner which is needed in raising the 
dead, and one and the other alike 
demonstrate the omnipotence of him 
who can do it. 

2. Wherein. In which sins, or in the 
practice of which transgressions. ^ Ye 
walked. You lived, life being often 
compared to a journey or a race. See 
Notes on Rom. vi. 4. \ According to 
the course of this world. In conformity 
with the customs and manners of the 
world at large. The word here ren- 
dered world, altov, means properly age, 



3 Among whom also we 5 all had 
our conversation in times past in 

b 1 Pet. 4. 3. 

but is often used to denote the pres- 
ent world, with its cares, temptations, 
and desires, and here denotes particu- 
larly the men of this world. The 
meaning is, that they had lived for- 
merly as other men lived, and the idea 
is strongly conveyed that the course 
of the men of this world is to walk in 
trespasses and sins. The sense is, that 
there was by nature no difference be- 
tween them and others, and that all 
the difference which now existed had 
been made by grace. 1 According to 
the prince of the -power of the air. See 
ch. vi. 12. Compare Notes on 2 Cor. 
iv. 4. There can be no doubt that 
Satan is here intended, and that Paul 
means to say that they were under his 
control as their leader and prince. 
The phrase "the prince of the pow- 
er" may mean either "the powerful 
prince," or it may mean that he, as a 
prince, had power over the air, and 
lived and reigned there particularly. 
The word "prince" — apxovTa, archon 
— means one first in authority and 
power, and is then applied to an} 7 one 
who has the pre-eminence or rule. It 
is applied to Satan, or the chief of the 
fallen angels, as where he is called 
"the prince {apx^v) of the devils," 
Matthew ix. 34; xii. 24. Mark iii. 22. 
Luke xi. 15 ; "the prince of this 
world," John xii. 31; xiv. 30; xvi. 11. 
But why he is here called the prince 
having power over the air it is not easy 
to determine. Robinson (Lex.) sup- 
poses it to be because he is lord of 
the powers of the air; that is, of the 
demons who dwell and rule in the at- 
mosphere. So Doddridge supposes 
that it means that he controls the fall- 
en spirits who are permitted to range 
the regions of fltie atmosphere. It is 
generally admitted that the apostle 
here refers to the prevailing opinions 
both among the Jews and heathen, 
that the air was thickly peopled with 
spirits or demons. That this was a 
current opinion may be seen full} 7 
proved in Wetstein. Comp. Bloom- 
field, Grotius, and particularly Eoppe. 
Why the region of the air was sup- 
posed to be the dwelling-place of such 
spirits is now unknown. The opin- 
ion may have been either that such 
spirits dwelt in the air, or that they 
had control over it, according to the 



38 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the 1 
desires of the flesh and of the mind; 

1 wills. 

later Jewish belief. Cocceius and 
some others explain the word air here 
as meaning the same as darkness, as in 
profane writers. It is evident to my 
mind that Paul does not speak of this 
as a mere tradition, or an opinion, or 
a vagary of t h e fancy, or a supersti- 
tious belief, but that he refers to it 
as a thing which he regarded as true. 
In this opinion I see no absurdity that 
should make it impossible to believe 
it; for (1.) the Scriptures abundantly 
teach that there are fallen, wicked 
spirits, and the existence of fallen an- 
gels is no more improbable than the 
existence of fallen men. (2.) The Bi- 
ble teaches that they have much to do 
with this world. They tempted man ; 
they inflicted disease in the time of 
the Saviour; they are represented as 
alluring and deceiving the race. (3.) 
They must have some locality — some 
part of the universe where they dwell. 
That they were not confined down to 
hell in the time of the Redeemer is 
clear from the New Testament, for 
they are often represented as having 
afflicted and tortured men. (4.) Why 
is there any improbability in the be- 
lief that their residence should have 
been in the regions of the air? that 
while they were suffered to be on 
earth to tempt and afflict men, they 
should have been permitted peculiar- 
ly to occupy these regions? Who 
can tell what may be in the invisible 
world, and what spirits may* be per- 
mitted to fill up the vast space that 
now composes the universe? And 
who can tell what control may have 
been given to such fallen spirits over 
the regions of the atmosphere — over 
clouds, and storms, j^nd pestilential 
air? Jfmhave control over the earth, 
and pervert and abuse the powers of 
nature to their own ruin, and the ruin 
of each other. The elements they 
employ for the purposes of ruin and 
of temptation. Fruit and grain they 
convert to poison; minerals to the 
destruction caused by war. In itself 
considered, there is nothing more im- 
probable that spirits of darkness may 
have had control over the regions of 
the air than that fallen man has over 
the earth ; and no more improbability 
that that power has been abused to 
ruin men, than that the power of men 



and were by nature a the children 
of wrath, even as others. 

aPsa. 51.5. 



is abused to destroy each other. No 
one c&n prove that the sentiment here 
referred to by Paul is yiot true ; and no 
one can show how the doctrine that 
fallen spirits may do mischief in any 
part of the works of God is any more 
improbable*than that wicked men 
should do the same thing. The word 
"power" here — "power of the air" — 
I regard as synonymous with domin- 
ion or rule; "a prince having domin- 
ion or rule over the air." If The spir- 
it that now worketh. That still lives, 
and whose energy for evil is still seen 
and felt among the wicked. Paul here 
means, undoubtedly, to teach that 
there was such a spirit, and that he 
was still active in controlling men. 
H The children of disobedience. The 
wicked. Col. hi. 6. 

3. We all had our conversation. See 
Notes on 2 Cor. i. 12. Comp. 1 Peter 
iv. 3. ^ In the lusts of our flesh. Liv- 
ing to gratify the flesh, or the propen- 
sities of a corrupt nature. It is ob- 
servable here that the apostle changes 
the form of the address from "ye" to 
" we" thus including himself with 
others, and saying that this was true 
of all beflR their conversion. He 
means, undoubtedly, to say that, what- 
ever might have been the place of 
their birth, or the differences of relig- 
ion under which they had been train- 
ed, they were substantially alike by 
nature. It was a characteristic of all 
that they lived to fulfill the desires of 
the flesh and of the mind. The design 
of the apostle in thus grouping him- 
self with them was to show that he 
did not claim to be any better by na- 
ture than they were, and that all which 
any of them had of value was to be 
traced to the grace of God. There is 
much delicacy here on the part of the 
apostle. His object was to remind 
them of the former grossness of their 
life, and their exposure to the wrath 
of God. Yet he does not do it harsh- 
ly. He includes himself in their num- 
ber. He says that what he affirms of 
I them was substantially true of him- 
| self— of all — that they were by nature 
under condemnation, and exposed to 
the divine wrath. U Fulfilling the de- 
sires of the flesh and of the mind. Marg. , 
as in Greek, wills. Complying with 
the wishes of a depraved nature. The 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



39 



"will of the flesh" is that to which 
the flesh, or the unrenewed nature of 
man, prompts ; and Paul says that all 
had been engaged in fulfilling those 
fleshly propensities. This was clear- 
ly true of the heathen, and it was no 
less true of the unconverted Jew, that 
he lived for himself, and sought to 
gratify the purposes of a depraved na- 
ture, though it might manifest itself 
in a way different from the heathen. 
The "will of the mind 1 ' referred to 
here relates to the wicked thoughts 
•and purposes of the unrenewed nature 
— the sins which relate rather to the 
intellect than to the gross passions. 
Such, for instance, are the sins of 
pride, envy, ambition, covetousuess, 
etc., and Paul means to say that be- 
fore conversion they lived to gratify 
these propensities, and to accomplish 
these desires of the soul. *\\ And were 
by nature, cpvasi. By birth, or before 
we were converted. By conversion 
and adoption they became the chil- 
dren of God ; before that, they were 
the children of wrath. This is, I think, 
the fair meaning of this important 
declaration. It does not affirm nfiien 
they began to be such, or that they 
were such as soon as they were born, 
or that they were such before they 
became moral agents, or that they be- 
came such in virtue of their connec- 
tion with Adam — whatever may be 
the truth on these points ; but it af- 
firms that before they were renewed 
they were the children of wrath. So 
far as this text is concerned, this might 
have been true at their very birth; 
but it does not directly and certainly 
prove that. . It proves that at no time 
before their conversion were the3 T the 
children of God, but that their whole 
condition before that was one of ex- 
posure to wrath. Compare Romans 
ii. 14, 27. 1 Cor. xi. 14. Gal. ii. 15. 
Some men are born Jews, and some 
heathen ; some free, and some slaves ; 
some white, and some black; some 
are born to povert}', and some to 
wealth; some are the children of 
kings, and some of beggars; but, what- 
ever their rank or condition, they are 
born exposed to wrath, or in a situa- 
tion which renders them liable to 
wrath. But ivhy this is the apostle 
does not say. Whether for their own 
sins or for the sins of another ; wheth- 
er by a corrupted soul or by impu- 
ted guilt ; whether they act as moral 
agents as soon as born, or at a certain 



period of childhood, Paul does not say. 
IT The children of wrath. Exposed to 
wrath, or liable to wrath. They did 
not by nature inherit holiness ; they 
inherited that which would subject 
them to wrath. The meaning has been 
well expressed by Doddridge, who re- 
fers it "to the original apostasy and 
corruption, in consequence of which 
men do, according to the course of 
nature, fall early into personal guilt, 
and so become obnoxious to the di- 
vine displeasure." Many modern ex- 
positors have supposed that this has 
no reference to any original tendency 
of our fallen nature to sin, or to native 
corruption, but that it refers to the 
habit of sin, or to the fact of their hav- 
ing been the slaves of appetite and 
passion. I admit that the direct and 
immediate sense of the passage is that 
they were, when without the Gospel, 
and before they were renewed, the 
children of wrath ; but still, the fair 
interpretation is, that they were born 
to that state, and that that condition 
was the regular result of their native 
depravity ; and I do not know a more 
strong or positive declaration that can 
be made to show that men are by na- 
ture destitute of holiness, and exposed 
to perdition. If Even as others. That 
is, "do not suppose that you stand 
alone, or that you are the worst of the 
species. You are, indeed, by nature, 
the children of wrath, but not you 
alone. All others are the same. You 
have a common inheritance with 
them. I do not mean to charge you 
with being the worst of sinners, or as 
being alone transgressors. It is the 
common lot of man — the sad, gloomy 
inheritance to which we all are born." 
The Greek is 6l \oltt6l, u the remainder, 
or the others," including all. Comp. 
Notes on Rom. v. 19. This doctrine, 
that men without the Gospel are the 
children of wrath, Paul had fully de- 
fended in Romans i., ii., iii. No truth, 
perhaps, is moro frequently stated in 
the Bible ; none is more fearful and 
awful in its character. What a decla- 
ration, that we "are by nature the 
children of wrath !" Who should not 
inquire what it means ? Who should 
not make an effort to escape from the 
wrath to come, and become a child of 
glory, and an heir of life? 

4. But God, who is rich in mercy. On 
the use of the word rich by Paul, see 
Notes on ch. i. 7. It is a beautiful ex- 
pression. "God is rich in mercy;* 1 



40 



EPHESIANS* 



[A.D. 64. 



4 But God, who is rich in mercy, 
for his great love wherewith he 
loved us, 

5 Even a when we were dead in 
sins, hath quickened us together 

a Rom. 5. 6,8,10. 

overflowing, abundant. Mercy is the 
riches, or the wealth of God. Men are 
often rich in gold, and silver, and dia- 
monds, and they pride themselves in 
these possessions ; but God is rich in 
mercy. In that he abounds; and he 
is so rich in it that he is willing to 
impart it to others ; so rich that he 
can make all blessed. \ For his great 
love, iliat is, his great love was the 
reason why he had compassion upon 
us. It is not that we had any claim, 
or that we deserved his favor; but it 
is, that God had for man original and 
eternal love, and that that love led to 
the gift of a Saviour, and to the be- 
stowment of salvation. 

5. Even when we were dead in sins. 
See Notes on ver. 1. Comp. Rom. v. 
8. The construction here is, "God, 
who is rich in mercy, on account of 
the great love which he bare unto us, 
even being dead in sin, hath quick- 
ened us," etc. It does not mean that 
he quickened us when we were dead 
in sin, but that he loved us then, and 
made provision for our salvation. It 
was love to the children of wrath; 
love to those who had no love to re- 
turn to him ; love to the alienated and 
the lost. That is true love— the sin- 
cerest and the purest benevolence — 
love, not like that of men, but such 
only as God bestows. Man loves his 
friend, his benefactor, his kindred; 
God loves his foes, and seeks to do 
them good. H Hath quickened us. Has 
made us alive. See ver. 1. U Togeth- 
er with Christ. In connection with 
him, or in virtue of his being raised 
up from the grave. The meaning is, 
that there was such a connection be- 
tween Christ and those whom the Fa- 
ther had given to him, that his resur- 
rection from literal death involved 
their resurrection to spiritual life. It 
was like raising up the head and the 
members — the whole body together. 
Compare Notes on Rom. vi. 5. Every 
where in the New Testament the close 
connection of the believer with Christ 
is affirmed. We are crucified with 
him. We die with him. We rise with 
him. We live with him. We reign 



with Christ (by 1 grace b ye are 

saved), 

6 And hath raised c us up togeth- 
er, and made us sit together in 
heavenly places in Christ Jesus ; 

1 by whose. b Rom. 3. 24. c CoJ. 2. 12. 

with him. We are joint heirs with 
him. We share his sufferings on earth 
(1 Pet. iv. 13), and we share Ms glory 
with him on his throne. Rev. iii. 21. 
^ By grace ye are saved. Marg., by 
ivhose. See Notes on Romans iii. 24. 
Paul's mind was full of the subject of 
salvation by grace, and he throws it 
in here, even in an argument, as a 
point which he would never have 
them lose sight of. The subject be- 
fore him was one eminently adapted to 
bring this truth to mind ; and though, 
in the train of his arguments, he had 
no time now to dwell on it, yet he 
would not suffer any opportunity to 
pass without referring to it. 

6. And hath raised us up together. 
That is, we are raised from the death 
of sin to the life of religion, in con- 
nection with the resurrection of Je- 
sus, and in virtue of that. So close is 
the connection between him and his 
people, that his resurrection made 
theirs certain. Comp. Col. ii. 12. See 
also Notes on Rom. vi. 5. IT And made 
us sit together. Together with him. 
That is, we share his honors. So close 
is our connection with him, that we 
shall partake of his glory, and in some 
measure do now. Compare Notes on 
Matt. xix. 28, and Rom. viii. 17. 1" Jn 
heavenly places. See Notes on ch. i. 3. 
The meaning is, that he has gone to 
the heavenly world as our Head and 
Representative. His entrance there 
is a pledge that we shall also enter 
there* Even here we have the antici- 
pation of glory, and are admitted to 
exalted honors, as if we sat in heaven- 
ly places, in virtue of our connection 
with him. H In Christ Jesus. It is in 
connection with him that we are thus 
exalted, and thus filled with joy and 
peace. The meaning of the whole is, 
"We are united to Christ. We die 
with him, and live with him. We 
share his sufferings, and we share his 
joys. We become dead to the world 
in virtue of his death; we become 
alive unto God in virtue of his resur- 
rection. On earth* we are exalted to 
honor, peace, and hope, in virtue of 
his resurrection; in heaven we shall 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



41 



7 That in the ages to come he 
might show the exceeding riches 
of his grace, in Ms kindness a to- 
ward us, through Christ Jesus. 

8 For by grace h are ye saved 

a Tit. 3. 4. 6 2 Tim. 1. 9. 



share his glory and partake of his tri- 
umphs." 

7. That in the ages to come. To all fu- 
ture times. The sense is, that the 
riches of divine grace, and the divine 
benignity, would be shown in the con- 
version of Christians and their salva- 
tion, to all coming generations. Such 
was his love to those who were lost, 
that it would be an everlasting monu- 
ment of his mercy ; a perpetual and 
unchanging proof that he was good. 
We are raised up with Christ, and are 
made to partake of his honor and glo- 
ry, in order that others may forever 
be impressed with a sense of the di- 
vine goodness and mercy to us. H The 
exceeding riches of his grace. The 
abounding, overflowing riches of grace. 
Comp. Notes on ch. i. 7. This is Paul's 
favorite expression — an expression so 
•beautiful and so full of meaning that 
it will bear often to be repeated. We 
may learn from this verse : (1.) That 
one object of the conversion and sal- 
vation of sinners is to furnish a proof 
of the mercy and goodness of God. 
(2.) Another object is, that their con- 
version may be an encouragement to 
others. The fact that such sinners as 
the Ephesiaus had been were pardon- 
ed and saved, affords encouragement 
also to others to come and lay hold 
on life. And so of all other sinners 
who are saved. Their conversion is a 
standing encouragement to others to 
come in like manner; and now the 
history of the Church for more than 
eighteen hundred years furnishes all 
the encouragement which we could 
desire. (3.) The conversion of great 
sinners is a special proof of the divine 
benignity. So Paul argues in the case 
before us; and so he often argued 
from his own case. Comp. Notes on 
1 Tim. i. 16. (4.) Heaven, the home of 
the redeemed, will exhibit the most 
impressive proof of the goodness of 
God that the universe furnishes. 
There will be a countless host who 
were once polluted and lost; who 
were dead in sins ; who were under 
the power of Satan, and who have been 
saved by the riches of the divine grace 



through faith ; c and that not d of 
yourselves ; it is the gift of God : 

9 Not of works, lest any man 
should boast. 

10 For we are his workmanship, 

c Rom. 4. 16. d John 6. 44, 65. 



— a host now happy and pure, free 
from sin, and sorrow, and death — the 
living and eternal monuments of the 
grace of God. 

8. For by grace are ye saved. By mere 
favor. It is not by your own merit ; 
it is not because you have any claim. 
This is a favorite doctrine with Paul, 
as it is with all who love the Lord Je- 
sus in sincerity. Compare Notes on 
Romans i. 7; iii. 24. H Through faith. 
Grace bestowed through faith, or in 
connection with believing. See Notes 
on Rom. i. 17 ; iv. 16. If And that nbt 
of yourselves. That is, salvation does 
not proceed from yourselves. The 
word rendered that, tovto, is in the 
neuter gender, and the word faith, 
7r/a-Tis, is in the feminine. The word 
"that," therefore, does not refer par- 
ticularly to faith, as being the gift of 
God, but to the salvation by grace of 
which he had been speaking. This is 
the interpretation of the passage 
which is the most obvious, and which 
is now generally conceded to be the 
true one. See Bloomfield. Many crit- 
ics, however, as Doddridge, Beza, Pis- 
cator, and Chrysostom, maintain that 
the word u thaV (tovto) refers to 
"faith" (7r/o-Ti9); and Doddridge 
maintains that such a use is common 
in the New Testament. As a matter 
of grammar, this opinion is certainly 
doubtful, if not untenable ; but as a 
matter of theology, it is a question of 
very little importance. Whether this 
passage proves it or not, it is certain- 
ly true that faith is the gift of God. 
It exists in the mind only when the 
Holy Ghost produces it there, and is, 
in common with every other Christian 
excellence, to be traced to his agency 
£m the heart. This opinion, however, 
plocs not militate at all with the doc- 
trine that man himself believes. It is 
not God that believes for him, for that 
is impossible. It is his own mind that 
actually believes, or that exercises 
faith. See Notes on Rom. iv. 3. In 
the same manner, repentance is to be 
traced to God. It is one of the fruits 
of the operat ion of the Holy Spirit on 
the soul. But the Holy Ghost does 



4:2 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



created in Christ Jesus unto good 
works, which a God hath before 1 
ordained that we should walk in 
them. 

a c. 1. 4. 1 or, prepared. 



11 Wherefore remember, that ye 
being in time past Gentiles in the 
flesh, who are called Uncircum- 
cision by that which is called the 



not repent for us. It is our own mind | than any other man, to the position 
that repents; our own heart that feels; \ that men are saved by the mere grace 
our own eyes that weep; and without ! of God, and by a divine agency on the 



this there can be no true repentance. 
No one can repent for another; and 
God neither can nor ought to repent 
for us. He has done no wrong, and 
if repentance is ever exercised, there- 
fore, it must be exercised by ourselves. 
So of faith. God can not believe for 
us. We must believe, or we shall be 
damned. Still, this does not conflict 
at all with the opinion that, if we exer- 
c^e faith, the inclination to do it is to 
be traced to the agency of God on the 
heart. I would not contend, there- 
tore, about the grammatical construc- 
tion of this passage with respect to 
the point of the theology contained 
in it ; still, it accords better with the 
obvious grammatical construction, 
and with the design of the passage, to 
understand the word "that" as refer- 
ring, not to faith only, but to salvation 
by grace. So Calvin understands it, 
and so it is understood by Storr, 
Locke, Clarke, Koppe, Grotius, and 
others. 1" It is the gift of God. Salva- 
tion by grace is his gift. It is not of 
merit ; it is wholly by favor. 

9. Not of works. See Notes on Rom. 
iii. 20, 27. 

10. For we are his workmanship. We 
are his making (nroiti/ia). That is, we 
are created or formed by him, not only 
in the general sense in which all 
things are made by him, but in that 
peculiar sense which is denoted by the 
new creation. See Notes on 2 Cor. v. 
17. Whatever of peace, or hope, or 
purity we have, has been produced by 
his agency on the soul. There can 
not be conceived to be a stronger ex- 
pression to denote the agency of God 



that salvation is wholly of grace 
1 Created in Christ Jesus. On the word 
created, see Notes on 2 Cor. v. 17. 
T Unto good works. With reference to 
a holy life ; or, the design for which 



soul; but it is certain that no man 
ever held more firmly that men must 
lead holy lives, or they can have no 
evidence that they are the children of 
God. H Which God hath befoi^e ordain- 
ed. Marg., prepared. The word here 
used means to prepare beforehand, then 
to predestinate, or appoint before. 
The proper meaning of this passage 
is, "to which (oh) good works God 
has predestinated us, or appointed us 
beforehand, that we should walk in 
them." The word here used, irpoEToi- 
fia^u), occurs in the New Testament 
nowhere else except in Romans ix. 23, 
where it is rendered "had afore pre- 
pared." It involves the idea of a pre- 
vious determination, or an arrange- 
ment beforehand for securing a cer- 
tain result. The previous preparation 
here referred to was the divine inten- 
tion, and the meaning is, that God had 
predetermined that we should lead 
holy lives. It accords, therefore, with 
the declaration in ch. i. 4, that he had 
chosen his people before the founda- 
tion of the world, that they should be 
holy. See Notes on that verse. 1" That 
we should walk in them. That we should 
live holy lives. The word walk is oft- 
en used in the Scriptures to denote 
the course of life. See Notes on Ro- 
mans vi. 4. 

11. Wherefore remember. The design 
of this evidently is to excite a sense 
of gratitude in their bosoms for that 
mercy which had called them from 
the errors and sins of their former 
lives to the privileges of Christians. 
It is a good thing for Christians to 
" remember" what they were. No fac- 



in the conversion of men, or the fact||ulty of the mind can be better em- 



ployed to produce humility, penitence, 
gratitude, and love, than the memory. 
It is well to recall the recollection of 
our former sins ; to dwell upon our 
hardness of heart, our alienation from 



Cl 11\JIJ Ult , W 1 , DUO UV/dlj^ll X\J l TT AiJLV-Ii I 11U1 \J 1 11VIU I, VJ U I il 1 1 L I Ul L1W ij. II Will 

we have been created in Christ is, that | God, and our unbelief; to remember 
we should lead a holy life. The pri- j our wanderings and our guilt, until 



mary object was not to bring us to 
heaven. It was that we should be 
holy. Paul held, perhaps more firmly 



the* heart is affected, and we are made, 
to feel. The converted Ephesians had 
much guilt to recollect and to mourn 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



4:5 



Circumcision in the flesh made by 
hands; 

over in their former life ; and so have 
all who are converted to the Christian 
faith. U That ye being in time past, 
Formerly — (ttot£). ^Gentiles in the 
Jlesh. You were Gentiles in the flesh, 
that is, under the dominion of the 
flesh, subject to the control of carnal 
appetites and pleasures. H Who are 
called Uncircumcision. That is, who 
are called " the uncircumcised." This 
was a term similar to that which we 
use when we speak of "the unbap- 
tized." It meant that they were with- 
out the pale of the people of God; 
that they enjoyed nome of the ordi- 
nances and privileges of the true re- 
ligion ; and was commonly a term of 
reproach. Comp. Judges xiv. 3; xv. 
18. 1 Sam. xiv. 6 ; xvii. 26 ; xxxi. 4. 
Ezek. xxxi. 18. By that which is called 
the Circumcision. By those who are 
circumcised, that is, by the Jews. *ftln 
the flesh made by hands. In contradis- 
tinction from the circumcision of the 
heart. See Notes on Rom. ii. 28, 29. 
They had externally adopted the rites 
of the true religion, though it did not 
follow that they had the circumcision 
of the heart, or that t^y were the 
true children of God. 

12. Ye were without Christ. You were 
without the knowledge of the Messiah. 
You had not heard of him ; of course 
you had not embraced him. You were 
living without any of the hopes and 
consolations which you now have from 
having embraced him. The object of 
the apostle is to remind them of the 
deplorable condition in which they 
were by nature; and nothing would 
better express it than to say they upere 
"without Christ," or that they had 
no knowledge of a Saviour. They 
knew of no atonement for sin. They 
had no assurance of pardon. They 
had no well-founded hope of eternal 
life. They were in a state of darkness 
and condemnation, from which noth- 
ing but a knowledge of Christ could 
deliver them. All Christians may in 
like manner be reminded of the fact 
that, before their conversion, they 
were " without Christ." Though they 
had heard of him, and were constantly 
under the instruction which reminded 
them of him, yet they were without 
any true knowledge of him, and with- 
out any of the hopes which result 
from having embraced him. Many 



12 That at -that time ye were 
without Christ, being aliens from 

were infidels. Many were scoffers. 
Many were profane, sensual, corrupt. 
Many rejected Christ with scorn; 
many by simple neglect. All were 
without any true knowledge of him; 
all were destitute of the peace and 
hope which result from a saving ac- 
quaintance with him. We may add 
that there is no more affecting descrip- 
tion of the state of man by nature than 
to say he is without a Saviour. Sad 
would be the condition of the world 
without a Redeemer; sad is the state 
of that portion of mankind who reject 
him. Reader, are you without Christ ? 
\ Being aliens from the commonwealth of 
Isxael. This is the second characteris- 
tic of their state before their conver- 
sion to Christianity. This means 
more than that they were not Jews. 
It means that they were strangers to 
that polity (TroXiTda) or arrangement 
by which the worship of the true God 
had been kept up in the world, and of 
course were strangers to the true re- 
ligion. The arrangements for the pub- 
lic worship of Jehovah were made 
among the Jews. See John iv. 22. 
They had his law, his temple, his Sab- 
baths, and the ordinances of his relig- 
ion. See Notes on Romans iii. 2. To 
all these the heathens had been stran- 
gers, and of course they were deprived 
of the privileges which resulted from 
having the true religion. The word 
here rendered commonwealth, troXin-Eia, 
means properlj 7 citizenship, or the 
right of citizenship, and then a com- 
munity or state. It means here that 
arrangement or organization by which 
the worship of the true God was main- 
tained. The word aliens, aTniWoi-piu)- 
fjLtvoi, here means merely that they 
were strangers to. It does not denote, 
of necessity, that they were hostile to 
it, but that they were ignorant of it, 
and were therefore deprived of the 
benefits which they might have de- 
rived from it if they had been acquaint- 
ed with it. ^And strangers. This 
word, %ho<s, means properly a guest, 
or a stranger, who is hospitably enter- 
tained; then a foreigner, or one from 
a distant country. It here means that 
they did not belong to the community 
where the covenants of promise were 
enjoyed; that is, they were strangers 
to the privileges of the people of God. 
TI The covenants of prom ise. See Notes 



44 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



the commonwealth of Israel, and 
strangers from the covenants of 



promise, having no hope, and with- 
out God in the world : 



on Romans- ix. 4. The covenants of 
promise were those various arrange- 
ments which God made with his peo- 
ple, by which he promised them future 
blessings, and especially by which he 
promised that the Messiah should 
come. To be in possession of them 
was regarded as a high honor and 
privilege ; and Paul refers to it here 
to show that, though the Ephesians 
had been by nature without these, yet 
they had been brought to enjo} r all the 
benefits of them. On the word cove- 
nant, see Notes on Gal. hi. 15. It may 
be remarked that Walton (Polyglot) 
and Rosenmiiller unite the word 
"promise" here with the word "hope''' 
— having no hope of the promise. But 
the more obvious and usual interpre- 
tation is that in our common version, 
meaning that they were not by nature 
favored with the covenants made with 
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc., by which 
there was a promise of future blessings 
under the Messiah. ^Having no hope. 
The apostle does not mean to affirm 
that they did not cherish any hope, 
for this is scarcely true of any man ; 
but that they were without any proper 
ground of hope. It is true of perhaps 
nearly all men that they cherish some 
hope of future happiness. But the 
ground on which they do this is not 
well understood by themselves, nor 
do they in general regard it as a mat- 
ter worth particular inquiry. Some 
rely on morality ; some on forms of 
religion; some on the doctrine of uni- 
versal salvation ; all who are impeni- 
tent believe that they do not deserve 
eternal death, and expect to be saved 
by justice. Such hopes, however, must 
be unfounded. No hope of life in a 
future world can be founded on a 
proper basis which does not rest on 
some promise of God, or some assur- 
ance that he will save us ; and those 
hopes, therefore, which men take up 
they know not why, are delusive and 
vain. If And without God in the world. 
Gr., uSeol, atheists ; that is, those who 
had no knowledge of the true God. 
This is the last specification of their 
miserable condition before they were 
converted, and it is an appropriate 
crowning of the climax. What an ex- 
pression ! To be without God — with- 
out God in his own world, and where 
he is all around us ! To have no evi- 



dence of his favor, no assurance of his 
love, no hope of dwelling with him ! 
The meaning, as applied to the hea- 
then Ephesians, was, that they had no 
knowledge of the true God. This was 
true of the heathen then as it is now ; 
in an important sense, also, it is true 
of all impenitent sinners, and was once 
true of all who are now Christians. 
They had no God. They did not wor- 
ship him, or love him, or serve him, 
or seek his favor, or act with reference 
to him and his glory. Nothing can 
be a more appropriate and striking 
description 04 a sinner now than to 
say that he is "without God in the 
world." He lives, and feels, and acts 
as if there were no God. He neither 
worships him in secret, nor in his fam- 
ily, nor in public. He acts with no 
reference to his will. He puts no con- 
fidence in his promises, and fears not 
when he threatens ; and were it pro- 
claimed to him that there is no God, 
it would produce no change in his plan 
of life or in his emotions. The an- 
nouncement that the Emperor of 
China, or the King of Siam, or the 
Sultan of Constantinople was dead, 
would pro<ftce some emotion, and 
might change some of his commercial 
arrangements; but the announcement 
that there is no God would interfere 
with none of his plans, and demand 
no change of life. And, if so, what is 
man in this beautiful world without a 
God ! A traveler to eternity without 
a God ! Standing over the grave with- 
out a God ! An immortal being with- 
out a God! A man — fallen, sunk, 
ruined, with no God to praise, to love, 
to confide in ; with no altar, no sacri- 
fice, no worship, no hope; with no 
Father in trial, no counselor in per- 
plexity, no support in death ! Such 
is the state of man by nature. Such " 
are the effects of sin. 

13. But now in Christ Jesus. By the 
coming and atonement of the Lord 
Jesus, and by the Gospel which he 
preached. H Ye xoho sometimes were afar 
off. Who were formerly (ttot£).' Tin- 
dal translates it a ivhyle agoo. The 
phrase afar off, paKpav, means that 
they were formerly far off from God 
and his people. The expression is de- 
rived from the custom of speaking 
among the Hebrews. God was sup- 
posed to reside in the Temple. It was 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



45 



13 But now, in Christ Jesus, ye 
who sometimes were far off are 
made nigh by the blood a of 
Christ. 

14 For he b is our peace, who hath 

aHeb. 9.12. b Mic. 5. 5. 



a privilege to be near the Temple. 
Those who were remote from Jerusa- 
lem and the Temple were regarded as 
far off from God, and hence as peculiar- 
ly irreligious and wicked. See Notes 
on Isa. lvii. 19. Are made nigh. Are 
admitted to the favor of God, and per- 
mitted to approach him as his wor- 
shippers. If By the blood of Qhrist. The 
Jews came near to the mercy-seat on 
which the symbol of the divine pres- 
ence rested (see Notes on Rom. iii. 25) 
by the blood that was offered in sacri- 
fice ; that is, the high-priest approach- 
ed that mercy -seat with blood and 
sprinkled it before God. Now we are 
permitted to approach him with the 
blood of the atonement. The shed- 
ding of that blood has prepared the 
way by which Gentiles as well as Jews 
may approach God, and it is by that 
offering that we are led to seek him. 

14. For he is our peace. There is ev- 
ident allusion here to Isa. lvii. 19. See 
Notes on that verse. The peace here 
referred to is that by which a union in 
worship and in feeling has been pro- 
duced between the Jews and the Gen- 
tiles. Formerly they were alienated 
and separated. They had different ob- 
jects of worship ; different religious 
rites; ^figerent views and feelings. 
The Jews regarded the Gentiles with 
hatred, and the Gentiles the Jews with 
scorn. Now, says the apostle, they 
are at peace. They worship the same 
God; they have the same Saviour; 
they depend on the same atonement ; 
they have the same hope; they look 
forward to the same heaven; they be- 
long to the same redeemed family. 
Reconciliation has not only taken 
place with God, but with each other. 
The bed way to produce peace between 
alienated minds is to bring them to the 
same Saviour. That will do more to 
silence contentions, and to heal alien- 
ations, than any or all other means. 
Bring men around the same cross; 
fill them with love to the same Re- 
deemer, and give them the same hope 
of heaven, and you put a period to 
alienation and strife. The love of 
Christ is so absorbing, and the depend- 



made both c one, and hath broken 
down the middle wall of partition 
between us ; 

15 Having abolished d in his flesh 
the enmity, even the law of com- 

c John 10. 16. Gal. 3. 28. d Col. 2. 14. 

ence on his blood so entire, that they 
will lay aside. their alienations and 
cease their contentions. The work of 
the atonement is thus designed not 
only to produce peace with God, but 
peace between alienated and contend- 
ing minds. The feeling that we are 
redeemed by the same blood, and that 
we have the same Saviour, will unite 
the rich and the poor, the bond and 
the free, the high and the low, in the 
ties of brotherhood, and make them 
feel that they are one. This great 
work of the atonement is thus design- 
ed to produce peace in alienated minds 
every where, and to diffuse abroad 
the feeling of universal brotherhood. 
If Who hath made both one. Both Gen- 
tiles and Jews. He has united them 
in one society. H Having broken down 
the middle wall. There is an allusion 
here, undoubtedly, to the wall of par- 
tition in the Temple by which the 
court of the Gentiles was separated 
from that of the Jews. See Notes, and 
the plan of the Temple, in Matt. xxi. 
12. The idea here is, that that was 
now broken down, and that the Gen- 
tiles had the same access to the Tem- 
ple as the Jews. The sense is, that in 
virtue of the sacrifice of the Redeem- 
er they were admitted to the same 
privileges and hopes. 

15. Having abolished. Having brought 
to naught, or put an end to it (kutup- 
yvaas. If In his flesh. By the sacrifice 
of his body on the cross. It was not 
by instruction merely ; it was not by 
communicating the knowledge of 
God; it was not as a teacher; it was 
not by the mere exertion of power; 
it was by his flesh — his human nature 
— and this can mean only that he did 
it by his sacrifice of himself. It is 
such language as is appropriate to the 
doctrine of the atonement — not, in- 
deed, teach ing it directly, but still, 
such as one would use who believed 
that doctrine, and such as no ol her 
one would employ. Who would now 
say of a moral teacher that lie accom- 
plished an important result by hts 
flesh? Who would say of a man thai 
was instrumental in reconciling his 



46 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



mandinents contained in ordinan- 
ces ; for to make in himself of twain 
one new man, so making peace ; 
16 And that he might reconcile a 

a Col. 1. 20-22. 



contending neighbors that he did it 
by his flesh ? Who would say of Dr. 
Priestley that he established Unitari- 
anism in his flesh ? No man would have 
ever used this language who did not 
believe that Jesus died as a sacrifice 
for sin. ^ The enmity. Between the 
Jew and the Gentile. Tindal renders 
this "the cause of hatred, that is to 
say, the law of commandments con- 
tained in the law written." This is 
expressive of the true sense. The idea 
is, that the ceremonial law of the 
Jews, on which they so much prided 
themselves, was the cause of the hos- 
tility existing between them. That 
made them different people, and laid 
the foundation for the alienation 
which existed between them. They 
had different laws ; different institu- 
tions ; a different religion. The Jews 
looked upon themselves as the favor- 
ites of heaven, and as in possession of 
the knowledge of the only way of sal- 
vation; the Gentiles regarded their 
laws with contempt, and looked upon 
their peculiar institutions with scorn. 
When Christ came, and abolished by 
his death their peculiar ceremonial 
laws, of course the cause of this alien- 
ation ceased. H Even the law of com- 
mandments. The law of positive com- 
mandments. This does not refer to 
the moral law, which was not the cause 
of the alienation, and which was not 
abolished by the death of Christ, but 
to the laws commanding sacrifices, 
festivals, fasts, etc., which constituted 
the peculiarity of the Jewish system. 
These were the occasion of the enmi- 
ty between the Jews and the Gentiles, 
and these were abolished by the great 
sacrifice which the Redeemer made ; 
and, of course, when that was made, 
the purpose for which these laws were 
instituted was accomplished, and they 
ceased to be of value and to be bind- 
ing. Contained in ordinances. In 
the Mosaic commandments. The 
word ordinance means decree, edict, 
law. Luke ii. 1. Acts xvi. 4; xvii. 7. 
Col. ii. 14. U For to make in himself. 
• 3y virtue of his death, or under him 
as the head. U Of twain one new man. 
Of the two— Jews and Gentiles— one 



both unto God in one body by the 
cross, having slain the ^nmity 1 
thereby ; 
17 And came and preached peace 



i himself. 



new spiritual person ; that they might 
be united. The idea is, that, as two 
persons who had been at enmity might 
become reconciled, and be one in aim 
and pursuit, so it was in the effect of. 
the work of Christ on the Jews and 
Gentiles. When they were converted 
they would be united and harmonious. 

16. And that he might reconcile both 
unto God. This was another of the ef- 
fects of the work of redemption, and, 
indeed, the main effect. It was not 
merely to make them harmonious, but 
it was that both, who had been alien- 
ated from God, should be reconciled 
to him. This was a different effect 
from that of producing peace between 
themselves, though, in some sense, the 
one grew out of the other. They who 
are reconciled to God will be at peace 
with each other. They will feel that 
they are of the same family, and are 
brethren. On the subject of reconcil- 
iation, see Notes on 2 Cor. v. 18. H In 
one body. One spiritual personage — 
the Church. See Notes on chap. i. 23. 
%By the cross. By the atonement 
which he made on the cross. See Col. 
i. 20. Compare Notes on Romans iii. 
25. It is by the atonement only that 
men ever become reconciled to God. 
If Having slain the enmity. Not only 
the enmity between Jews0id Gen- 
tiles, but the enmity bet we 1 ?™ he sin- 
ner and God. He has by that death 
removed all the obstacles to reconcil- 
iation on the part of God and on the 
part of man. It is made efficacious 
in removing the enmity of the sinner 
against God, and producing peace. 

Thereby. Marg., in himself. The 
meaning is, in his cross, or by means 
of his cross. 

17. And came and preached peace. 
That is, the system of religion which 
he proclaimed was adapted to produce 
peace with God. This he preached 
personally to those who "were nigh," 
that is, the Jews ; to those who were 
"afar off"— the Gentiles— he preached 
it by his apostles. He was the author 
of the system which proclaimed salva- 
tion to both. The word peace here re- 
fers to reconciliation with God. H To 
you which were afar qff\ etc. See Notes 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



47 



to you a which were afar off and to 
them that were nigh. 

18 For through b him we both 
have access by one Spirit unto the 
Father. 

a Acts 2. 39. b John 14. 6. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 



on ver. 13. Comp. Notes on Acts ii. 
39. 

18. For through him. That is, he has 
secured this result, that we have ac- 
cess to God. This he did by his death 
— reconciling us to God ; by the doc- 
trines which he taught — acquainting 
us with God; by his intercession in 
heaven — by which our " prayers gain 
acceptance" with him. H We both have 
access. Both Jews and Gentiles. See 
Notes on Rom. v. 2. We are permit- 
ted to approach God through him, or 
in his name. The Greek word here, 
TTpoo-ayooyv, relates properly to the in- 
troduction to, or audience which men 
are permitted to have with a prince 
or other person of high rank. This 
must be effected through an officer of 
court to whom the duty is intrusted. 
— Bosenmiiller, Alt. und neu. Morgen- 
land, in loco. Tf By one Spirit. By the 
aid of the same Spirit, the Holy Ghost. 
See Notes on 1 Cor. xii. 4. 1" Unto the 
Father. We are permitted to come 
and address God as our Father. See 
Notes on Rom. viii. 15, 26. 

19. Now therefore ye are no more stran- 
gers and foreigners. You are reckoned 
with the people of God. You are en- 
titled to their privileges, and are not 
to be regarded as outcasts and aliens. 
The meaning is,, that they belonged to 
the same community — the same fami- 
ly—as the people of God. The word 
rendered strangers, %tvoi, means for- 
eigners in a state, as opposed to citizens. 
The word rendered foreigners, irapoLKoi, 
means guests in a private family, as op- 
posed to the members of Jhe family. 
— Bosenmiiller. Strangers, and such as 
proposed to reside for a short time in 
Athens, were permitted to reside in 
the city, and to pursue their business 
undisturbed, but they could perform 
no public, duty ; they had no voice in 
the public deliberations, and they had 
no part in the management of the 
state. They could only look on as 
spectators, without mingling in the 
affairs of the state, or interfering in 
any way with the government. I'hey 
were bound humbly to submit to all 
the enactments of the citizens, and to 



19 Now therefore ye are no more 
strangers and foreigners, but fel- 
low-citizens c with the saints, and 
of the household d of God ; 

20 And are built 6 upon the-f foun- 

cHeb. 12. 22 > 23. d c. 3. 15. 

e 1 Cor. 3. 9, 10. /Matt. 16.18. Rev. 21.14. 

observe all the laws and usages of the 
republic. It was not even allowed 
them to transact any business in their 
own name, but they were bound to 
choose from among the citizens one 
to whose care they committed them- 
selves as a patron, and whose duty it 
was to guard them against all injustice 
and wrong. — Potter's Gr. Ant. i., 55. 
Proselytes who united themselves to 
the Jews were also called in the Jew- 
ish writings strangers. All foreigners 
were regarded as "strangers," and 
Jews only were supposed to have near 
access to God. But now, says the 
apostle, this distinction is taken away, 
and the believing heathen, as well as 
the Jew, has the right of citizenship in 
the New Jerusalem, and one, as well 
as another, is a member of the family 
of God.— Burder, Ros. Alt. und neu. 
Morgenland, in loco. The meaning 
here is that they had not come to so- 
journ merely as guests or foreigners, 
but were a part of the family itself, 
and entitled to all the privileges and 
hopes which others had. If But fellow- 
citizens with the saints. Belonging to 
the same community with the people 
of God. ^ And of the household of God. 
Of the same family. Entitled to the 
same privileges, and regarded by him 
as his children. See ch. iii. 15. 

20. And are built upon the foundation. 
The comparison of the Church with a 
building is common in the Scriptures. 
Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. iii. 9, 10. The 
comparison was probably taken from 
the Temple, and as that was an edifice 
of great beauty, expense, and sacred- 
ness, it was natural to compare the 
Church with it. Besides, the Temple- 
was the sacred place where God dwelt 
on the earth ; and as the Church was 
the place where he delighted now to 
abide, it became natural to speak of 
his Church as the Temple, or the resi- 
dence of God. See Notes on Isa, l iv. 
11, 12. That building, says Paul, was 
permanently founded, and was rising 
with great beauty of proportion, and 
with great majesty and splendor. 1 Of 
the apostles. The doctrines which they 
taught are the basis on which the 



48 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



dation of the apostles and proph- 
ets, Jesus Christ himself being the 
chief « corner-stone ; 

21 In whom all the building, 
fitly framed together, groweth 

a Isa. 28. 16. 

Church rests. It is possible that Paul j 
referred here to a splendid edifice, par- 
ticularly because the Ephesians were 
distinguished for their skill in archi- 
tecture, and because the celebrated 
Temple of Diana was among them. 
An allusion to a building, however, 
as an illustration of the Church, occurs 
several times in his other epistles, and 
was an allusion which would be every 
where understood. H And prophets. 
The prophets of the Old Testament, 
using the word, probably, to denote 
the Old Testament writers in general. 
That is, the doctrines of divine revela- 
tion, whether communicated by proph- 
ets or apostles, were laid at the foun- 
dation of the Christian Church. It 
was not founded on philosophy, on 
tradition, on human laws, on a vener- 
able antiquity, but on the great truths 
which God had revealed. Paul does 
not say that it was founded on Peter, 
as the papists do, but on the prophets 
and apostles in general. If Peter had 
been the "vicegerent of Christ" and 
the head of the Church, it is incredible 
that his brother Paul should not have 
given him some honorable notice in 
this place. Why did he not allude to 
so important a fact ? Would one who 
believed it have omitted it ? Would 
a papist now omit it? Learn here, 
(1.) That no reliance is to be placed 
on philosophy as a basis of religious 
doctrine. (2.) That the traditions of 
men have no authority in the Church, 
and constitute no part of the founda- 
tion. (3.) That nothing is to be re- 
garded as a fundamental part of the 
Christian system, or as binding on the 
conscience, which can not be found in 
the u prophets and apostles ;" that is, 
as it means here, in the Holy Scrip- 
tures. No decrees of councils; no or- 
dinances of synods; no "standard" 
of doctrines; no creed or confession, 
is to be urged as authority in forming 
the opinions of men. They may be 
valuable for some purposes, but not 
for this; they may be referred to as 
interesting parts of history, but not to 
form the faith of Christians ; they may 
be used in the Church to express its 



unto an holy h temple in the 
Lord ; 

22 In whom ye also are builded c 
together for an habitation of God 
through the Spirit. 

b 1 Cor. 3. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. c 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5. 

belief, but not to form it. What is 
based on the authority of apostles and 
prophets is true, and always true, and 
only true ; what may be found else- 
where may be valuable and true, or 
not, but, at any rate, is not to be used 
to control the faith of men. H Jesus 
Christ himself being the chief corner- 
stone. See Notes on Isa. xxviii. 16. 
Rom. ix. 33. The corner-stone is the 
most important in the building: (1.) 
Because the edifice rests mainly on 
the corner-stones. If they are small, 
and unstable, and settle down, the 
whole building is insecure, and hence 
care is taken to place a large stone 
firmly at each corner of an edifice. 
(2.) Because it occupies a conspicuous 
and honorable place. If documents 
or valuable articles are deposited at 
the foundation of a building, it is with- 
in the corner-stone. The Lord Jesus 
is called the "corner-stone," -because 
the whole edifice rests on him ; that 
is, he occupies a place relatively as im- 
portant as the corner-stone of an edi- 
fice. Were it not for him, the edifice 
could not be sustained for a moment. 
Neither prophets nor apostles alone 
could support it. See Notes on 1 Cor. 
hi. 11. Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 6. 

21. In whom. That is, by whom, or 
upon whom. It was in connection 
with him, or by being reared on him 
as a foundation. ^ All the building. 
The whole Church of Christ. If Fitly 
framed together. The word here used 
means to joint together, as a carpenter 
does the frame -work of a building. 
The materials are accurately and care- 
fully united by mortices and tenons, 
so that the building shall be firm. 
Different materials may be used, and 
different kinds of timber may be em- 
ployed, but one part will be worked 
into another so as to constitute a du- 
rable and beautiful edifice. So in the 
Church. The different materials of 
the Jews and Gentiles; the people 
of various nations, though heretofore 
separated and discordant, become now 
united, and form an harmonious soci- 
ety. They believe the same doctrines ; 
worship the same God ; practice the 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



49 



same holiness, and look forward to 
the same heaven. H Groiveth unto an 
holy temple in the Lord. See Notes on 
1 Cor. iii. 17, 2 Cor. vi. 16. 

22. In whom. In Christ, or on Christ, 
as the solid and precious foundation. 
Tf Ye also are builded together. You are 
built into that, or constitute a part of 
it. You are not merely added to it, 
but you constitute a part of the build- 
ing. 1[ For an habitation of God. For 
the indwelling, or the dwelling-place 
of God. Formerly he dwelt in the 
Temple. Now he dwells in the 
Church and in the hearts of his peo- 
ple. See Notes on 2 Cor. vi. 16. 

REMARKS. 

1. We were by nature dead in sin. 
Ver. 1. We had no spiritual life. We 
were insensible to the calls of God, to 
the beauty of religion, to the claims 
of the Creator. We were like corpses 
in the tomb in reference to the gay, 
and busy, and happy world around 
them. There we should have remain- 
ed had not the grace of God given us 
life, ^ust as the dead will remain in 
their graves forever unless God shall 
raise them up. How humble should 
we be at the remembrance of this fact! 
How grateful that God has not left us 
to sleep that sleep of death forever ! 

2. Parents should feel deep solici- 
tude for their children. Ver. 3. They, 
in common with all others, are "chil- 
dren of wrath." They have a nature 
prone to evil, and that nature will 
develop itself in evil forever unless it 
is changed, just as the young thorn- 
bush will be a thorn-bush, and will 
put forth thorns, and not roses; and 
the Bohou Upas will be a Bohon Upas, 
and not an olive or an orange; and as 
the lion will be a lion, and the panther 
a panther, and not a lamb, a kid, or a 
gazelle. They will act out their na- 
ture unless they are changed, and 
they will not be changed but by the 
grace of God. I do not mean that 
their nature is in every sense like that 
of the lion or the asp, but I mean that 
they will be as certainly wicked, if un- 
renewed, as the lion will be ferocious, 
and the asp poisonous. And if so, 
what deep anxiety should parents feel 
for the salvation of their children! 
How solicitous should they be that, 
by the grace of God, the evil propen- 
sities of their nature may be eradica- 
ted, and that they may become the 
adopted children of God ! 

D 



3. The salvation of sinners involves 
all the exercise of power which is put 
forth in the resurrection of the dead. 
Verse 5. It is not a work to be per- 
formed by man ; it is not a work of 
angelic might. None can impart spir- 
itual life to the soul but he who gave 
it life at first. On that great Source 
of life we are dependent for our res- 
urrection from spiritual death, and to 
God we must look for the grace by 
which we are to live. But it is true 
that though we are by nature "dead 
in sins," we are not in all respects like 
the dead. Let not this doctrine be 
abused to make us secure in sin, or to 
prevent effort. The dead in the grave 
are dead in all respects. We by na- 
ture are dead only in sin. We are act- 
ive in other things ; and, indeed, the 
powers of man are~not less active than 
they would be if he were holy. But 
it is a tremendous activity for evil, 
and for evil only. The dead in their 
graves hear nothing, see nothing, feel 
nothing. Sinners hear, and see, and 
feel ; but they hear not God, they see 
not his gloiy, they feel not the emo- 
tions of love to him any more than if 
they were dead. To the dead in the 
grave no command could with pro- 
priety be addressed; on them, no en- 
treaty could be urged to rise to life ; 
but the sinner may be commanded and 
entreated, for he has power, though it 
is misdirected; and what is needful 
is that he should put forth his power 
in a proper manner. While, therefore, 
we admit, with deep humiliation, that 
we, our children and friends, are by 
nature dead in sin, let us not abuse 
this doctrine as though we could be 
required to do nothing. It is with us 
wilful death. It is death because we 
do not chpose to live. It is a volun- 
tary closing our eyes, and stopping 
our ears, as if we were dead ; and it is 
a voluntary remaining in that state 
when we have all the requisite power 
to put forth the energies of life. Let 
a sinner be as active in the service of 
God as he is in the service of the devil 
and the world, and he would be an 
eminent Christian. Indeed, all that is 
required is that the misdirected and 
abused energy of this world should be 
employed in the service of the Crea- 
tor. Then all would be well. 

4. Let us remember our former 
course of life. Vers. 11, 12. Nothing 
is more profitable for a Christian than 
to sit down and reflect on his former 



50 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



life — on his childhood, with its numer- 
ous follies and vanities ; on his youth, 
with its errors, passions, and sins ; and 
on the ingratitude and faults of riper 
years. Had God left us in that state, 
what would be now our- condition ? 
Had he cut us off, where would have 
been now our abode ? Should he now 
treat us as we deserve, what would be 
our doom ? When the Christian is in 
danger of becoming proud and self- 
contident, let him remember what he 
was. Let him take some period of 
his life — some year, some month, or 
even some one day — and think it all 
over, and he will find enough to hum- 
ble him. These are the uses which 
should be made of the past. (1.) It 
should make us humble. If a man 
had before his mind a vivid sense of 
all the past in his own life, he would 
never be lifted up with pride. (2.) It 
should make us grateful. God cut 
off the companions of my childhood — 
why did he spare me ? He cut down 
many of the associates of my youth in 
their sins — why did he preserve me ? 
He has suffered many to live on in 
their sins, and they are in " the broad 
road" — why am I not with them, 
treading the path to death and hell ? 
(3.) The recollection of the past should 
lead us to devote ourselves to God. 
Professing Christian, "remember" how 
much of thy life is gone to waste. 
Remember thy days of folly and vanity. 
Remember the injury thou hast done 
by an evil example. Remember how 
many have been corrupted by thy con- 
versation; perverted by thy opinions; 
led into sin by thy example ; perhaps 
ruined in body and soul forever by 
the errors and follies of thy past life. 
And then remember how much thou 
dost owe to God, and how solemnly 
thou art bound to endeavor to repair 
the evils of thy life, and to save at 
least as many as thou hast ruined. 

5. Sinners are by nature without 
any well-founded hope of salvation. 
Verse 12. They are living without 
Christ, having no belief in him, and 
no hope of salvation through him. 
They are "aliens" from all the privi- 
leges of the friends of God. They 
have no " hope." They have no well- 
founded expectation of happiness be- 
yond the grave. They have a dim and 
shadowy belief that possibly they may 
be happy ; but it is founded on no ev- 
idence of the divine favor, and no prom- 
ise of God. They could not tell on what 



it is founded, if they were asked; and 
what is such a hope worth ? These 
false and delusive hopes do not sus- 
tain the soul in trial ; they flee away 
in death. And what a description is 
this ! In a world like this, to be with- 
out hope! Subject to triaL; exposed 
to death; and yet destitute of any 
well-founded prospect of happiness 
beyond the tomb ! They are u with- 
out God" also. They worship no God; 
they confide in none. They have no 
altar in their families ; no place of se- 
cret prayer. They form their plans 
with no reference to the will of God; 
they desire not to please him. There 
are multitudes who are living just as 
if there were no God. Their plans, 
their lives, their conversation, would 
not be different if they had the assur- 
ance that there was no God. All that 
they have ever asked of God, or that 
they would now ask of him, is that he 
ivould let them alone. There are multi- 
tudes whose plans would be in no re- 
spect different if it were announced 
to them that there was no God in 
heaven. The only effect might-be to 
produce a more hearty merriment and 
a deeper plunge into sin.' What a 
world! How strange that in God's 
own world it should thus be ! How 
sad the view of a world of atheists— 
a race that is endeavoring to feel that 
the universe is without a Father and 
a God ! How wicked the plans which 
can be accomplished only by laboring 
to forget that there is a God ; and how 
melancholy that state in which hap- 
piness can be found only in proportion 
as the soul believes that the universe 
is without a Creator, and moves on 
without the superintending care of a 
God ! 

6. The Gospel produces peace. Vs. 
14-17. (1.) It produces peace in the 
heart of the individual, reconciling him 
to God. (2.) It produces peace and 
harmony between different ranks, and 
classes, and complexions of men, caus- 
ing them to love each other, and re- 
moving their alienations and antipa- 
thies. The best way of producing 
friendship between nations and tribes 
of men; between those of different 
complexions, pursuits, and laws, is to 
preach to them the Gospel. The best 
way to produce harmony between the 
oppressor and the oppressed is to 
preach to both of them the Gospel of 
peace, and make them feel that they 
have a common Saviour. (3.) It is fit- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



51 



ted to produce peace among the na- 
tions. Let it spread, and wars will 
cease, right and justice will universal- 
ly prevail, and harmony and concord 
will spread over the world. See 
Notes on Isa. ii. 4. 

7. Let us rejoice in the privileges 
which we now have as Christians. 
We have access to the Father. Ver. 
18. None are so poor, so ignorant, so 
down- trodden, that they may not 
come to God. In all times of afflic- 
tion, poverty, and oppression, we may 
approach the Father of mercies. 
Chains may bind the body, but no 
chain can fetter the soul in its inter- 
course with God. We may be thrown 
into a dungeon, but communion with 
God may be maintained there. We 
may be cast out and despised by men, 
but we may come at once unto God, 
and he will not cast us away. Fur- 
ther, we are not now strangers and 
foreigners. We belong to the family 
of God. We are fellow-citizens with 
the saints. Ver. 19. We are partici- 
pants of the hope of the redeemed, 
and we share their honors and their 
joys. It is right that true Christians 
should rejoice, and their joy is of such 
a character that no man can take it 
from them. 

8. Let us make our appeal on all 
doctrines and duties to the Bible — to 
the prophets and the apostles. Ver. 
20. On them and their doctrine we 
can build. On them the Church is 
reared. It is not on the opinion of 
philosophers and law-givers ; not on 
creeds, symbols, traditions, and the 
decisions of councils ; it is on the au- 
thority of the inspired book of God. 
The Church is in its most healthy 
state when it appeals for its doctrines 
most directly to the Bible. Individ- 
ual Christians grow most in grace 
when they appeal most to this " book 
of books." The Church is in great 
danger of error when it goes off from 
this pure^standard" and makes its 
appeal to other standards — to creeds 
and symbols of doctrine. "The Bible 
ia the religion of Protestants and 
the Church will be kept pure from er- 
ror, and will advance in holiness, just 
as this is made the great principle 
which shall always govern and control 
it. If a doctrine is not found in the 
"apostles and prophets" — in some 
part of the Bible, it is not to be im- 
.posed on the conscience. It may or 

may not be true ; it may or may not 



be fitted to edify a people ; but it is 
not to be an article of faith, or im- 
posed on the consciences of men. 

9. Let us evince always special re- 
gard for the Lord Jesus. Verse 20. 
He is the precious corner-stone on 
which the whole spiritual temple is 
reared. On him the Church rests. 
How important, then, that the Church 
should have correct views of the Re- 
deemer ! How important that the 
true doctrine respecting his divine na- 
ture; his atonement; his incarnation; 

j his resurrection, should be maintain- 
ed. It is not a matter of indifference 
whether he be God or man; whether 
he died as an atoning sacrifice or as a 
martyr; whether he be the equal of 
God, whether an angel, or whether a 
mere man. Every thing depends on 
the view which is held of that Re- 
deemer — and as men entertain differ- 
ent opinions about him, they go off 
into different systems as wide from 
each other as the poles. Every thing 
in the welfare of the Church, and in 
the individual peace of its members, 
depends on proper views of the Lord 
Jesus. 

10. The Church is designed to be 
the place of the special residence of 
the Holy Spirit on earth. Vs. 21, 22. 
It is the beautiful Temple where he 
dwells ; the edifice which is reared for 
his abode. How holy should that 
Church be ; how pure should be each 
Christian to be an appropriate habi- 
tation for such a guest ! With what 
anxious care should w r e cherish the 
presence of such a guest ; with w r hat 
solicitude should we guard our con- 
duct that we may not grieve him away ! 
How anxious we are so to live that 
we may not grieve aw T ay our friends 
from our dwellings ! Should an illus- 
trious guest become an inmate in our 
abode, how careful should we be to do 
all that we could to please him, and 
to retain him with us ! How much 
more anxious - should we be to secure 
the indwelling of the eternal Spirit ! 
How desirous that he should make 
our hearts and the Church his con- 
stant abode ! 

CHAPTER III. 

ANALYSIS. 

This chapter consists properly of 
three parts : 

I. A statement that the Gentiles 
were to be made partakers of the ( ; <>>- 
pel, and that the work of proclaiming 



52 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64, 



CHAPTER III. 

FOR this cause I Paul, the pris- 
oner of Jesus Christ for you 
Gentiles, 



this was especial!}' intrusted to Paul. 
Vers. 1-12. In illustrating this, Paul 
observes : 

(1.) That he was the prisoner of Je- 
sus Christ in behalf of the Gentiles. 
Ver. 1. He was in bonds for maintain- 
ing that the Gospel was to be preach- 
ed to the Gentiles, and for endeavor- 
ing to convey it to them. 

(2.) He reminds them all of the fact 
that he was called by special revela- 
tion to make known this truth, and to 
convey to the Gentiles this Gospel — 
supposing that they had heard of the 
manner of his conversion. Vs. 2, 3. 

(3.) He refers them to what he had 
said before in few words on this point 
as proof of his acquaintance with this 
great plan of the Gospel. Vs. 3, 4. 

(4. ) He speaks of this great trutbas a 
' ' mystery' ' — the 1 ' mystery of Christ ; ' ' 
the great and important truth which 
was concealed until Christ came, and 
which was fully made known by him. 
Vs. 4, 5, 6. This had been hidden for 
ages. But now it had been fully re- 
vealed by the Spirit of God to the 
apostles and prophets in the Christian 
Church that the great wall of partition 
was to be broken clown, and the Gos- 
pel proclaimed alike to all. 

(5. ) He says, that to him especially 
was this office committed to proclaim 
among the Gentiles the unsearchable 
riches of Christ. Vs. 8, 9. 

(6.) He states that the design of this 
was to illustrate, in view of all worlds, 
the great wisdom of God in the plan 
of salvation. Vers. 10-12. It was in- 
tended to show to other intelligent 
beings the glory of the divine perfec- 
tions, and to make manifestations of 
the divine character which could be 
perceived nowhere else. 

II. The apostle expresses an earnest 
wish that they should comprehend 
the glory of this plan of salvation. 
Verses 13-19. Particularly he desires 
them not to faint on account of his 
afflictions in their behalf; declares 
that he bows his knees in prayer be- 
fore the Great Father of the redeemed 
family, that God would be pleased to 
strengthen them, and enlighten them, 
and give them clear views of this glo- 
rious plan. 



2 (If ye have heard of the dispen- 
sation a of tfce grace b of God, wMch 
is given me to you-ward : 

3 How that by revelation c he 

a Col. 1. 25. b Rom. 12. 3. c Gal. 1. 12. 

III. The chapter concludes with an 
ascription of praise to God in view 
of the great goodness which he had 
manifested, and of the glory of the 
plan of salvation. Vs. 20, 21. 

1. For this cai$se. On account of 
preaching this doctrine; that is, the 
doctrine that the Gospel was to be 
proclaimed to the Gentiles. ^ I Paid, 
the prisoner of Jesus Christ. A prison- 
er in the service of the Lord Jesus ; or 
made a prisoner in his cause. Not a 
prisoner for crime, or debt, or as a cap- 
tive in war, but a captive in the serv- 
ice of the Redeemer. This proves 
that at the time of writing this, Paul 
was in bonds, and there can be no 
question that he was in Rome. This 
would be more correctly rendered, 
"For this cause I, Paul, am the pris- 
oner," etc. So Tindal renders it, 
"For this cause I, Paul, the servant 
of Jesus, am in bonds." So also 
Locke, Rosenmuller, Doddridge, Whit- 
by, Koppe, and others -understand it. 
By this construction the abruptness 
now manifest in our common version 
is avoided. If For you Gentiles. Made 
a prisoner at Rome on your behalf, or 
because I maintained that the Gospel 
was to be preached to the Gentiles. 
See Acts xxii. 21-23. He was taken 
first to Csesarea, and then to Rome. 
The cause of his imprisonment and of 
all his difficulties was, that he main- 
tained that the Gospel was to be 
preached to the Gentiles; that when 
the Jews rejected it God rejected 
them; and that he was specially call- 
ed to carry the message of salvation 
to the heathen world. 

2. If ye have heard — dys.. " If at 
least, if indeed, if so be, sp^en of what 
is taken for granted." — Itobinson. 
Cojap. 2 Cor. v. 3 ; Gal. iii. 4; Eph. iv. 
21 j Col. i. 23, for the use of the parti- 
cle. The particle here is not design- 
ed to express a doubt whether they 
had heard of it or not, for he takes it 
for granted that they had. Doddridge 
renders it, "since I well know you 
have heard," etc. He had informed 
them before of his being called to be 
the minister to the Gentiles (ver. 3), 
but still there was a possibility .that 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



53 



made known unto me the mystery ; 
as I wrote afore 1 in few words, 
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may 

1 or, a little before. 

they had not received the letter con- 
taining the information, and he-goes, 
therefore, into another statement on 
the subject, that they might fully com-, 
prehend it. Hence this long paren- 
thetical sentence— one of the longest 
that occurs in the writings of Paul, 
and expressed under the impulse of a 
mind full of the subject ; so full, as we 
would say, that he did not know what 
to say first. Hence it is exceedingly 
difficult to understand the exact state 
of mind in which he was. It seems to 
me that the whole of this long state- 
ment grew out of the incidental men- 
tion (ver. 1) of the fact that he was a 
prisoner for the Gentiles. Instantly 
lie seems to have reflected that the}^ 
would be grieved at the intelligence 
that he was suffering on their account. 
He goes, therefore, into this long ac- 
count to -show them how it happened ; 
that it was by the appointment of 
God ; that it was in the evolving of a 
great and glorious mystery; that it 
was in a cause adapted to promote, in 
an eminent degree, the glory of God ; 
that it was according to an eternal 
purpose ; and he therefore (verse 13) 
says that he desires that they would 
not "faint" or be unduly distressed 
on account of his sufferings for them, 
since his sufferings were designed to 
promote their " glory." He was com- 
forted in the belief that he was making 
known the glorious and eternal plan 
of God, and in the belief that it was 
for the welfare of mankind, and he 
therefore entreated them also not tp 
be troubled inordinately at his suffer- 
ings. 1[ The dispensation. . Gr., econo- 
my ; rendered stewardship, Luke xvi. 
2, 3,4, and dispensation, Eph. i. 10; 
iii. 2. Col. i. 25. See Notes on ch. i. 
10. It means here that an arrange- 
ment was made that he should be the 
apostle to the Gentiles. In the as- 
signment of the different parts of the 
work of preaching the Gospel, the of- 
fice had been committed to him of 
making it known to the heathen. 
% Of the grace of God. In the arrange- 
ments of his grace, Which is given 
me to you-ward. Toward you who arc 
Gentiles. Not to the Ephesians par- 
ticularly, but to the nations at large. 
See Notes on Gal. ii. 7. 



understand my knowledge in the a 
mystery of Christ ; 
5 Which in other ages was not 

* a c. 1.9. 

3. How that by revelation. See Notes 
on Gal. i. 12. He refers to the revela- 
tion which was made to him when he 
was called to the apostolic office, that 
the Gospel was to be preached to the 
Gentiles, and that he was converted 
for the special purpose of carrying it 
to them. See Acts ix. 15; xxii. 21. 
If Unto me the mystery. The hitherto 
concealed truth that the Gospel was 
to be preached to the Gentiles. See 
Notes on chap. i. 9, on the meaning of 
the word mystery. 1" As I wrote afore 
in few words. Marg. , a little before. To 
what this refers commentators are not 
agreed. Bloomh'eld, Doddridge, Ro- 
senmiiller, Erasmus, Grotius, Locke, 
and others, suppose that he refers to 
what he had written in the two pre- 
vious chapters respecting the plan of 
God to call the Gentiles to his king- 
dom. Calvin supposes that he refers 
to some former epistle which he had 
written to them, but which is now 
lost. He remarks in regard to this, 
"If the solicitude of Paul be rightly 
considered; if his vigilance and assi- 
duity ; if his zeal and studious habits; 
if his kindness and promptitude in as- 
sisting his brethren, it is easy to sup- 
pose that he wrote many epistles pub- 
licly and privately to this place and to 
that place. But those only which the 
Lord saw necessary to the welfare of 
his Church has he taken care to have 
preserved." In this opinion there is 
nothing in itself improbable (comp. 
Introduction to Isaiah, § 5 (1.) ), but 
it may be doubted whether Paul here 
refers to any such epistle. The addi- 
tion which he makes, "whereby, when 
ye read," etc., seems rather to imply 
that he refers to what he had just 
written. 

4. Whereby, when ye read. By the 
bare reading of which you may under- 
stand the view which I entertain of 
the plan of salvation, and the knowl- 
edge which I have of God's method 
of saving men, particularly of his in- 
tention in regard to the salvation of 
the Gentiles. If I n the mystery of Christ. 
This does not refer to any thing mys- 
terious in the person of Christ, or to 
the union of the divine and human na- 
ture in him, or to any thing difficult 
of apprehension in the work of the 



54 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64, 



a made known unto the sons of 
men, as it is now revealed unto the 
holy apostles and prophets by the 
Spirit ; 

6 That the Gentiles should be fel- 
low-heirs, and of the same body, 

a Matt. 13. 17. Rom. 16. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 10-12. 

atonement. It means the hitherto 
concealed doctrine that through the 
Messiah the Gentiles were to be re- 
ceived to the same privileges as the 
Jews, and that the plan of salvation 
was to be made equally free for all. 
This great truth had been hitherto 
concealed or but partially understood, 
and Paul says that he was appointed 
to make it known to the world. His 
knowledge on the subject, he says, could 
be understood by what he had said, 
and from that they could judge wheth- 
er he was qualified to state and defend 
the doctrines of the Gospel. He evi- 
dently supposed that the knowledge 
which he had on that subject was of 
eminent value ; that it was possessed 
by few ; that it was important to un- 
derstand it. Hence he dwells upon it. 
He speaks of the glory of that truth. 
He traces it back to the counsels of 
God. He shows that it entered into 
his eternal plans; and he evidently felt 
that the truth which he had commu- 
nicated in the former part of this epis- 
tle was among the most important 
that could come before the mind. 

5. Which in other ages. The great 
purposes of God in regard to the sal- 
vation of mankind were not revealed. 
See Notes on Romans xvi. 25. *\\And 
prophets. Those who exercised the 
office of a prophet or inspired teacher 
in the Christian Church. See Notes 
on 1 Cor. xii. 1. 1 By the Spirit. This 
proves that those who exercised the 
office of prophet in the Christian 
Church were inspired. They were 
persons endowed in this manner for 
the purpose of imparting to the newly 
formed churches the doctrines of the 
Christian system. There is no evi- 
dence that this was designed to be a 
permanent order of men in the Church. 
They were necessary for settling the 
Church on a solid basis, in the absence 
of a full written revelation, and when 
the apostles were away. When the 
volume of revelation was finished, and 
the doctrines of the Gospel were fully 
understood, the functions of the office 
ceased. 



and partakers of his promise in 
Christ by the gospel ; 

7 Whereof I was made a minister, 
according to the gift of the grace 
of God given unto me by the ef- 
fectual b working of his power. 

JIsa.43. 13. c. 1.19. 

* 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow- 
heirs. Fellow-heirs with the ancient 
people of God— the Jews — and entitled 
to the same privileges. See Notes on 
Rom. yiii. 17, and Eph. ii. 13-18. 

7. Whereof I was made a minister. 
See Notes on verse 2. ^[ According to 
the gift of the grace of God. It was not 
by my own seeking or merit ; it was a 
free gift. T[ Of the grace of God. The 
sentiment is, that throughout it was a 
mere matter of grace that he was call- 
ed into the ministry, and that so im- 
portant an office was intrusted to him 
as that of bearing the Gospel to the 
Gentiles. ^JSy the effectual working of 
his power. Not by any native inclina- 
tion which / had to the Gospel, and 
not by any power which I have put 
forth. It is by "the energy of his pow- 
er." Compare Notes on Gal. ii. 8. 
Locke understands this of the energy 
or power which God put forth in con- 
verting the Gentiles under his minis- 
try. But it seems to me that it refers 
rather to the power which God put 
forth in the conversion of Paul him- 
self, and putting him into the minis- 
try. This is clear from the following 
verse. The meaning is, that such was 
his opposition to the Gospel by na- 
ture, that nothing but the u energy of 
God" could overcome it, and that his 
conversion was to be traced to that 
alone. 

8. Unto me, who am less than the least 
of all saints.. This is one of the class 
of expressions peculiar to Paul. The 
ordinary terms of language do not ex- 
press the idea which he wishes to con- 

! vey, and a word is therefore coined for 

! the purpose. Comp. Notes on 2 Cor. 
iv. 17. The word here used, iXax^- 
T-oTEpos, does not occur elsewhere in 
the New Testament. It is a compar- 

I ative made from the superlative. Sim- 
ilar expressions are found, however, 
in later Greek writers. See Bloom- 
field and Rosenmuller for examples. 
The word means here, " who am in- 
comparably the least of all the saints; 
or who am not worthy to be reckoned 

I among the saints." It is expressive 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



•55 



8 Unto me, who am less a than 
the least of all saints, is this grace 
given, that I should preach among 
the Gentiles the unsearchable 
riches h of Christ ; 

a 1 Cor. 15. 9. b Col. 1. 27. 



of the deep sense which he had of the 
sinfulness of his past life; of his guilt 
in persecuting the Church and the Sav- 
iour; perhaps also of his sense of his 
low attainments in piety. See Notes 
on 1 Cor. xv. 9. Paul never could for- 
get the guilt of his former life; he 
never forgot the time when he was en- 
gaged in persecuting the Church of 
God. U The unsearchable riches of Oh rist. 
On the word riches, as used by Paul, 
see Notes on ch. i. 7. The word ren- 
dered unsearchable, av^iyyiavrov, oc- 
curs but once elsewhere in the New 
Testament (Romans xi. 33), where it is 
rendered past finding out. See Notes 
on that verse. It means that which 
can not be traced out or explored; 
which is inscrutable or incomprehen- 
sible. The meaning here is, that there 
was a sufficiency in Christ which could 
not be traced out or explored. It was 
wholly incomprehensible. The full- 
ness of the riches in him could not be 
appreciated. There is no more em- 
phatic expression in the New Testa- 
ment than this. It shows that the 
heart of the apostle was full of admi- 
ration of the sufficiency and glory that 
was in the Saviour; that he wanted 
words to express it; and that he con- 
sidered it the highest honor to be per- 
mitted to tell the world that there 
were such riches in the Redeemer. 

9. And to make all men see. In order 
that the whole human family might 
see the glory of God in the plan of sal- 
vation. Hitherto the revelation of 
his character and plans had been con- 
fined to the J ews. Now it was his de- 
sign that all the race should be made 
acquainted with it. H What is the fel- 
lowship of the mystery. Instead of fel- 
lowship here — KoivMvia — most MSS. 
and versions read oiKovofxia — dispensa- 
tion. See Mill. This reading is adopt- 
ed by Griesbach, Tittman, Rosenmul- 
ler, Koppe, and is regarded by most 
critics as being the genuine reading. 
The mistake might easily have been 
made by a transcriber. The meaning 
then would be, "to enlighten all in 
respect to the dispensation of this 



9 And to make all men see what 
is the fellowship of the mystery, c 
which from the beginning of the 
world hath been hid in God, who 
created alLthings by d Jesus Christ : 

c ver. 4, 5. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 

6. Jno. 1.3. Col. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 2. 



mystery ;" that is, to cause all to un- 
derstand the manner in which this 
great truth of the plan of salvation is 
communicated to men. If the word 
fellowship is to be retained, it means 
that this doctrine, or secret counsel 
of God, was now common to all believ- 
ers, or was not to be confined to any 
class or rank of men. Locke renders 
it, "and to make all men perceive how 
this mystery comes now to be com- 
nuinicated to the world." Archbish- 
op Whately (Errors of Romanism, ch. 
h\, § 1) renders it, " the common par- 
ticipation of the mystery;" that is, of 
truths formerly unknown, and which 
could not be known by man's unaided 
powers, but which were now laid open 
by the gracious dispensation of divine 
Providence; no longer concealed or 
confined to a few, but to be partaken 
of by all. The allusion, according to 
him, is to the mysteries of the ancient 
pagan religions; and he supposes that 
the apostle designs to contrast those 
"mysteries" with Christianity. In 
those " mysteries'^ there was a distinc- 
tion between the initiated and unini- 
tiated. There was a revelation, to 
some of the worshippers, of certain 
holy secrets from which others were 
excluded. There were in some of the 
mysteries, as the Eleusinian, great and 
lesser doctrines, in which different per- 
sons were initiated. In strong con- 
trast with these, the "great mystery" 
in Christianit} 7 was made known to all. 
It was concealed from none, and there 
was no distinction made amoi^ those 
who were initiated. No truths which 
God had revealed were held back from 
any part, but there was a common par- 
ticipation by all. Christianity has no 
hidden truths for a part only of its 
friends; it has no "reserved" doctrines; 
it has no truths to be intrusted only 
to a sacred priesthood. Its doctrines 
are to be published to the wide world, 
and every follower of Christ is to be a 
partaker of all the benefits oft lie t ruths 
which Christ has revealed. It is dif- 
ficult to determine which is the true 
reading, and it is not very important. 



50 



■EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



10 To the intent that now unto 
the principalities and powers in 
heavenly places might be known 



by the church the manifold wis- 
dom a of God, 
11 According to the eternal 6 pur- 

a Rom. 11.33. 1 Cor. 2. 7. 6 c. 1.9. 



The general sense is, tYfot Paul felt 
himself called into the ministry in or- 
der that all men might understand 
now that salvation was free for all — a 
truth that had been concealed for ages. 
Bearing this great truth, he felt that 
he had a message of incalculable value 
to mankind, and he was desirous to go 
and proclaim it to the wide world. 
On the word mystery, see Notes, ch. i. 
9. \Rath been hid in God. With God. 
It has been concealed in his bosom. 
The plan was formed, but it had not 
before been made known. Who cre- 
ated all things. This is plain enough ; 
but it is not quite so plain why the 
declaration is introduced in this place. 
Locke and Kosenmiiller suppose that 
it refers to the new creation, and that 
the sense is, that God frames and man- 
ages this new creation wholly by Je- 
sus Christ. But the expression con- 
tains a truth of larger import, and nat- 
urally conveys the idea that all things 
were made by God, and that this was 
only a part of his great and universal 
agency. The meaning is, that God 
formed all things, and that this pur- 
pose of extending salvation to the 
world was a part of his grea t plan, and 
was under his control. U By Jesus 
Christ. As this stands in. our common 
Greek text as well as in our English 
version, there is a striking resemblance 
between the passage and that in Col. 
i. 15, 16. But the phrase is wanting 
•in the Vulgate, the Syriac, the Coptic, 
and in several of the ancient MSS. 
Mill remarks that it was probably in- 
serted here by some transcriber from 
the parallel passage in Col. i. 16 ; and 
it is rejected as an interpolation by 
Griesbach. It is not very material 
whether it be retained in this place or 
not, as the same sentiment is elsewhere 
abundantly taught. See John i. 3. 
Col. i. 16. Heb. i. 2. If it is to be re- 
tained, the sentiment is, that the Son 
of God — the second person of the Trin- 
ity — was the great and immediate 
agent in the creation of the universe. 

10. To the intent. Greek, "that," iva. 
The sense is, that it was with this de- 
sign, or that this was the purpose for 
which all things were made. One 
grand purpose in the creation of the 
universe was, that the wisdom of God 



might be clearly shown by the Church. 
It was not enough to evince it by the 
formation of the sun, the moon, the 
stars, the earth, the seas, the moun- 
tains, the floods. It was not. enough 
to show it by the creation of intelli- 
gent beings, the formation of immor- 
tal minds on earth, and the various 
ranks of the angelic world. There 
were views of the divine character 
which could be obtained only in con- 
nection with redemption. Hence the 
earth was made, and man was created 
upon it, not merely to illustrate the 
divine perfections in the work of crea- 
tion, but in a still more illustrious 
manner in the work of redemption ; 
and hence the deep interest which 
the angelic hosts have ever evinced in 
the salvation of man. That now. 
The word now — vvv — is wanting in the 
Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic,- and is 
omitted by many of the fathers. See 
Koppe. If it is to be retained, it 
means that this display is to be made 
under the Gospel. "Now, since the 
Messiah is come; now, under the 
Christian dispensation, this revelation 
is to be made to distant worlds." 
^U?ito the principalities and powers. To 
the angelic hosts — the intelligent be- 
ings that surround the throne of God. 
See Notes on ch. i. 21. *^By the Church. 
By the incarnation of the Redeemer to 
save it; by the mercy shown to it; 
by the wise arrangement made to re- 
cover his people from the fall ; and by 
all the graces and beauties which that 
redeemed Church will evince on earth 
and in heaven. % The manifold wisdom 
of God. Literally, much variegated. It 
means the greatly diversified wisdom 
It does not mean merely that there 
was great wisdom, but that the wisdom 
shown was diversified and varied; like 
changing, variegated colors. There 
was a "beautiful and well-ordered va- 
riety of dispensations" towards that 
Church, all of which tended to evince 
the wisdom of God. It is like a land- 
scape, or a panoramic view passing be- 
fore the mind, with a great variety of 
phases and aspects, all fitted to excite 
admiration. In the redemption of the 
Church there is not merely one form 
or one phase of wisdom. It is wisdom, 
ever-varying, ever-beautiful. There 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



57 



pose which he purposed in Christ 
Jesus our Lord : 
12 In whom we have boldness a 



and access with confidence by the 
faith of him. 
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint 



was wisdom manifested when the plan 
was formed ; wisdom in the selection 
of the Redeemer ; wisdom in the in- 
carnation ; wisdom in the atonement; 
wisdom in the means of renewing the 
heart, and sanctifying the soul ; wis- 
dom in the various dispensations by 
which the Church is sanctified, guided, 
and brought to glory. The wisdom 
thus shown is like the ever-varying 
beauty of changing clouds, when the 
sun is reflected on them at evening. 
Each aspect is full of beauty. One 
bright cloud differs in appearance from 
others, yet all tend to fill the mind 
with elevated views of God. 

11. According to the eternal purpose. 
See Notes on ch. i. 4. Literally, " the 
purpose of ages" or of eternity. 
Locke, Chandler, and Whitby render 
this, "according to that disposition 
or arrangement of the ages which he 
made in Jesus Christ, or through him. ' ' 
The object of such an interpretation 
seems to be to avoid the doctrine that 
God had a purpose or plan in the sal- 
vation of men, and hence such expos- 
itors suppose it refers to the arrange- 
ment of the ages of the world by which 
the plan of redemption was introduced. 
On the word here rendered purpose, 
TrpoSi(Ti<$, see Notes on Rom. viii. 28. 
Comp. Eph. i. 11. It is rendered shew- 
bread — "the bread of setting before" 
Matt. xii. 4. Mark ii. 26. Luke vi. 4. 
Heb. ix. 2 ; purpose, Acts xi. 23 ; xxvii. 
13. Rom. viii. 28 ; ix. 11. Eph. i. 11 ; 
iii. 11. 2 Tim. i. 9; iii. 10. It does 
not occur elsewhere in the New Tes- 
tament. In most of these cases it re- 
fers to the purpose or intention of God ; 
in not a single case does it mean ar- 
rangement or disposition in any sense 
like that of making an arrangement of 
ages or periods of the world ; and the 
interpretation proposed by Whitby, 
Locke, Clarke, and others, is wholly 
at variance with tne settled use of the 
word. The word rendered eternal, aico- 
vwv, may mean ages, but it also most 
usually means eternity. See verse 9. 
Here it may mean "the purpose of 
ages;" that is, the purpose formed in 
past ages ; but the word is most com- 
monly used in the New Testament in 
the sense of ever, and forever. Comp. 
the following places, where it is so 
C 2 



rendered in our common version, and 
beyond a doubt correctly. Matt. vi. 
13;xxi.l9. Mark iii. 29; xi. 14. Luke 
i. 33, 55. John iv. 14; vi. 51, 58; viii. 
35 ; xiv. 16. Rom. i. 25 ; ix. 5 ; xi. 36 ; 
xvi. 27. 2 Cor. ix.9; xi. 31. Gal. i. 5. 
The fair meaning of the passage here 
is, that God had formed a plan in ref- 
erence to the salvation of men which 
was eternal ; that that plan had refer- 
ence to the Lord Jesus; and that it 
was now executed by the Gospel. It 
is impossible to get away from the 
idea that God has a plan. It is too 
often affirmed in the Scriptures, and is 
too consonant with our reason to be 
disputed. It is as undesirable as it is 
impossible to escape from that idea. 
Who could respect or honor an intel- 
ligent being that had no plan, no pur- 
pose, no intention, and that did all 
things by caprice and haphazard ? If 
God has any plan, it must be eternal. 
He has no new schemes ; he has no in- 
tentions which he did not always have. 
TI Which hepurposed. Literally, k ' which 
he made." t In Christ Jesus. With 
reference to him, or which were to 
be executed through him. The eter- 
nal plan had respect to him, and was 
to be executed by his coming and 
work. 

12. We have boldness. The word here 
used, Trap pi) a iav, means, pro perly, bold- 
ness of speaking. 2 Cor. vii. 4.' John 
vii. 26. Acts iv. 13, 29, 31. Here it 
seems to mean "freedom of utterance;" 
and the idea is, that we may come to 
God now in prayer with confident 
pleading through the Lord Jesus. See 
Heb. iv. 16. ^And access. See Notes 
on chap. ii. 18. ^By the faith of him. 
By faith in him. The sense is, that 
we may now come confidently and 
boldly to the throne of grace for mercy 
in the name of the Redeemer. Bold- 
ness is not rashness, and faith is not 
presumption ; but we may come with- 
out hesitating, and with an assurance 
that our prayers will be heard. 

13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not. 
The connection here is this. Paul 
was then a prisoner at Rome. He had 
been made such in consequence of his 
efforts to diffuse the Christian religion 
among the Gentiles. Sec Notes on 
ver. 1. His zeal in this cause, and the 



58 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



not at niy tribulations for you, 
which a is your glory. 

14 For this cause I bow my knees 
unto the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, 



15 Of whom the whole family in 
heaven and earth is named, 

16 That he would grant you 
according to the riches b of his 
glory, to be e strengthened with 

b Philip. 4. 19. c c. 6. 10. Col. 1.11. 



opinions which he held on this subject, 
had roused the wrath of the Jews, and 
led to all the calamities which he was 
now suffering. Of that the Ephesians, 
he supposes, were aware. It was nat- 
ural that they should be distressed at 
his sufferings, for all his privations 
were endured on their account. But 
he here tells them not to be troubled 
and disheartened. He was indeed suf- 
fering; but he was reconciled to it, 
and they should be also, since it was 
promoting their welfare. The word 
rendered " faint," ekkclkIoo, means lit- 
erally to turn out a coward, or to lose 
one's courage ; then to be faint-heart- 
ed, etc. See Notes on 2 Cor. iv. 1. It 
is rendered faint in Luke xviii. 1. 2 
Cor. iv. 1, 16. Eph. iii. 13 ; and weary 
in Gal. vi. 9. 2 Jhess. iii. 13. It does 
not elsewhere occur. It is rendered 
here by Locke dismayed. Koppe sup- 
poses it means that they should not 
suppose that the Christian religion 
was vain and false because he was suf- 
fering so much from his countrymen 
on account of it. But it rather means 
that they might be in danger of being 
discouraged by the fact that lie was en- 
during so much. They might become 
disheartened in their attachment to a 
system of religion which exposed its 
friends to such calamities. Paul tells 
them that this ought not to follow. 
They were to be profited by all his suf- 
ferings, and they should, therefore, 
hold fast to a religion which was at- 
tended with so many benefits to them 
— though he should suffer. ^ Which 
is your glory. Which tends to your 
honor and welfare. You have occa- 
sion to rejoice that you have a friend 
who is willing thus to suffer for you ; 
you have occasion to rejoice in all the 
benefits which will result to you from 
his trials in your behalf. 

14. For this cause. Some suppose 
that this is a resumption of what he 
had commenced saying in ver. 1, but 
which had been interrupted by a long 
parenthesis. So Bloomfield explains 
it. But it sterns to me more probable 
that he refers to what immediately 
precedes. "Wherefore, that the great 



work may be carried on, and that the 
purposes of these my sufferings may 
be answered in your benefit and glory, 
I bow my knees to God, and pray to 
him." U 1 bow my knees. I pray. The 
usual, and the proper posture of pray- 
er is to kneel. Comp. 2 Chron. vi. 13. 
Dan. vi. 10. Luke xxii. 21. Acts vii. 
60 ; ix. 40 ; xx. 26 ; xxi. 5. It is a pos- 
ture which indicates reverence, and 
should, therefore, be assumed when 
Ave come before God. It has been an 
unhappy thing that the custom of 
kneeling in public worship has ever 
been departed from in the Christian 
churches. If Unto the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. To whom, undoubt- 
edly, prayer should ordinarily be ad- 
dressed. But this does not make it 
improper to address the Lord Jesus in 
prayer. See Notes on Acts i. 24 ; vii. 
59, 60. 

15. Of whom the whole family. This 
expression " of whom" may refer ei- 
ther to "the Father," or to the Lord 
Jesus. Commentators have been di- 
vided in opinion in regard to it. Bloom- 
field, Chandler, Erasmus, Koppe, and 
some others, refer it to the Father. 
Locke, Doddridge, Calvin, and some 
others, refer it to the Lord Jesus. This 
is the more natural interpretation. 
The whole "family of God" means all 
his children ; and the idea is., that they 
all bear the same name, derived from 
the Redeemer ; all are Christians. No 
matter where they are, in heaven or 
in earth; no matter from what nation 
they are converted, whether Jews or 
Gentiles, they all have one name and 
one Redeemer, and all belong to one 
family. See ch. iv. 4-6. U In heaven. 
Spirits of just men made perfect. This 
does not properly refer to angels, for 
Paul is not speaking of them, but of 
the family of the redeemed. If the 
phrase "in heaven 1 ' could ever be taken 
to denote the Jews as contradistin- ' 
guished from the Gentiles, I should 
think that this was one of the places. 
Many expositors have supposed that 
it is frequently so used in this epistle, 
but I see no clear evidence of it, and 
no instance where it seems very prob- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



50 



might by his Spirit in the inner 
man ; a 

17 That Christ may dwell b in 

a Rom. 7. 22. b Jno. 14. 23. c. 2. 22. 

able, unless this should be one. And 
it is not necessary here, for it may 
mean all the redeemed, whether in 
heaven or earth, though the connection 
would seem rather to have suggested 
a reference to the Jews and the Gen- 
tiles. An expression similar to this 
occurs in Coloss. i. 20 : " To reconcile 
all things to himself, whether they be 
things in earth or things in heaven." 
The passage before us is one that is 
commonly explained by a reference to 
Jewish opinions. The Jews were ac- 
customed to call the angels in heaven 
God's upper family, and his people on 
earth his lower family. See the pas- 
sages cited from the Rabbinical writers 
in Wetstein. H Is named. This means 
substantially the same as is. They are 
all of one family. They all have one 
father, and are all of one community. 
The expression is taken from what 
occurs in a family, where all bear the 
name of the head of the family ; and 
the meaning is, that all in heaven and 
on earth are united under one head, 
and constitute one community. It 
does not mean that all are called by the 
same name, or that the name Christian 
is given to the angels, but that they 
all pertain to the same community, 
and constitute the same great and glo- 
rious brotherhood. Part are in heav- 
en, near his throne ; part are in distant 
worlds; part are angels of light; part 
are redeemed and happy spirits ; part 
are in the Church on earth ; but they 
are all united as one family, and have 
one head and Father. This glorious 
family will yet be gathered together 
in heaven, and will encompass the 
throne of their common Father rejoic- 
ing. 

16. According to the riches of his glory. 
According to the glorious abundance 
of his mercy. See Philip, iv. 19. Out 
of those stores of rich grace which can 
never be exhausted. The w r ord riches, 
so often used by Paul, denotes abun- 
dance, and the idea here is, that his 
grace was inexhaustible and ample for 
all their wants. H To be strengthened 
with might. To be powerfully strength - 
. ened. That is, to give you abundant 
strength to bear trials; to perform 
your duties ; to glorify his name. J In 
the inner man. In the heart, the mind, 



your hearts by faith ; that ye, be- 
ing c rooted and grounded in love, 
18 May be able to comprehend 

c Col. 2. 7. 



the soul. See Notes on Rom. vii. 22. 
The body needs to be strengthened 
every clay. In like manner the soul 
needs constant supplies of grace. Pi- 
ety needs to be constantly invigorated, 
or it withers and decays. Every Chris- 
tian needs grace given each day to en- 
able him to bear trials, to resist temp- 
tation, to discharge his duty, to live 
a life of faith. 

17. 1'h at Christ may dwell in your 
hearts by fait ft. See Notes on chap. ii. 
22. Expressions like this often occur 
in the Scriptures, where God is said to 
dwell in us, and we are said to be the 
temples of the Holy Ghost. See Notes 
on John xiv. 23. 1 Cor. vi. 19. That 
ye, being rooted. Firmly established — 
as a tree is whose roots strike deep 
and extend far. The meaning is, that 
his love should be as firm in our hearts 
as a tree is in the soil, whose roots 
strike deep into the earth. *f| And 
grounded, TzStfAtXiwixivoi, founded — as 
a building is on a foundation. The 
w r ord is taken from architecture where 
a firm foundation is laid, and the mean- 
ing is, that he wislied them to be as 
firm in the love of Christ as a building 
is that rests on a solid basis. ^[ In love. 
In love to the Redeemer — perhaps also 
in love to each other — and to all. Love 
is the great principle of the true relig- 
ion, and the apostle wished that they 
might be fully settled in that. 
. 18. May be able to comprehend with all 
saints. That all others with you may 
be able, to understand this. It was 
his desire that others, as well as they, 
might appreciate the wonders of re- 
demption. ^What is the breadth, and 
length, etc. It has been doubted to 
what this refers. Locke says it refers 
to the mystery of calling the Gentiles 
as well as the Jews. Chandler sup- 
poses there is an allusion in all this to 
the temple at Ephesus. It was one 
of the wonders of the world — exciting 
admiration by its length, and height, 
and dimensions in ever} r way, as well 
as by its extraordinary richness and 
splendor. In allusion to this, the ob- 
ject of so much admiration and pride 
to the Ephesians, he supposes that 
Paul desires that they should become 
fully acquainted with the extent and 
beauty of the spiritual temple. There 



60 



EPHESIANS, 



[A.D. 64. 



with all saints what is the breadth, 
and length, and depth, and height ; 
19 And to know the love of Christ, 



is no improbability in supposing that 
there may be such an allusion, and the 
apostle evidently meant to express the 
strongest sense of the greatness of the 
love of the Redeemer, and to show in 
the most emphatic manner how much 
he wished that they should fully un- 
derstand it. On the phrase "depth 
and height," comp. Notes on Romans 
viii. 39. 

19. And to know the love of Christ. 
The love of Christ towards us; the 
immensity of redeeming love. It is 
not merely the love which he showed 
for the Gentiles in calling them into 
his kingdom which is here referred to ; 
it is the love which is shown for a lost 
world in giving himself to die. This 
love is often referred to in the New 
Testament, and is declared to surpass 
all other which has ever been evinced. 
See Notes on Rom. v. 7, 8. John xv. 
13. To know this; to feel this; to 
have a lively sense of it, is one of the 
highest privileges of the Christian. 
Nothing will so much excite gratitude 
in our hearts; nothing will prompt 
us so much to a life of self-denial; 
nothing will make us so benevolent 
and so dead to the world. See Notes 
on 2 Cor. v. 14. ^ Which passeth knowl- 
edge. There seems to be a slight con- 
tradiction here in expressing a wish 
to know what can not be known, or 
in a desire that they should understand 
that which can not be understood. 
But it is the language of a man whose 
heart was full to overflowing. He had 
a deep sense of the love of Christ, and 
he expressed a wish that they should 
understand it. Suddenly he has such 
an apprehension of it that he says it 
is indeed infinite. No one can attain 
to a full view of it. It has no limit. 
It is unlike any thing which has ever 
been evinced before. It is such love 
as led the Son of God to become in- 
carnate ; to leave the heavens,; to be 
a man of sorrows ; to be reviled and 
persecuted ; to be put to death in the 
most shameful manner — on a cross. 
Who can understand that? Where 
else has there been any thing like that? 
What is there with which to compare 
it ? What is there by which it can be 
illustrated ? And how can it be fully 
understood ? Yet something of it may 



which passeth knowledge, that ye 
might be filled with all the fulness 
a of God. 

a Jno. 1. 16. 

be seen, known, felt ; and the apostle 
desired that as .far as possible they 
should understand that great love 
which the Lord Jesus had manifested 
for a dying world. H That ye might be 
Jilted with all thefidlness of God. What 
an expression ! How rich and glori- 
ous ! Who can. comprehend all that 
it implies? Let us inquire into its 
meaning. There may be here in these 
verses an allusion to the Temple. The 
apostle had spoken of their being 
founded in love, and of surveying the 
length, and breadth, and depth, and 
height of that love, as of a vast and 
splendid edifice, and he now desires 
that those whom he addressed might 
be pervaded or filled with the indwell- 
ing of God. The language here is cu- 
mulative, and is full of meaning and 
richness. (1.) They were to be filled 
with the fullness of God. That is, he 
would dwell in them so as to occupy, 
as it were, their whole souls. (2. ) They 
were to be filled with the fullness of 
God, to TrXijpco/na tov Qsov. On the 
word rendered fullness, see Notes on 
ch. i. 10, 23. It is a favorite word with 
Paul. Thus he speaks of the fidhiess 
of the Gentiles, Rom. xi. 25; the full- 
ness of time, Gal. iv. 4 ; the fullness of 
him that filleth all in all, Eph. i. 23; 
the fullness of Christ, Eph. iv. 13 ; the 
fullness of the Godhead in Christ, Col. 
i. 19; ii. 9. It means here " that yon 
may have the richest measures of di- 
vine consolation and of the divine 
presence ; that you may partake of the 
entire enjoyment of God in the most 
ample measure in which he bestows 
his favors on his people." (3.) It was 
to be with all the fullness of God ; not 
with partial and stinted measures of 
his gracious presence, but with all 
which he ever bestows. Religion is 
not a name. It is not a matter of form. 
It is not a trifle. It is the richest, 
best gift of God to man. It ennobles 
our nature. It more clearly teaches 
us our true dignity than all the pro- 
found discoveries which men can make 
in science, for none of them will ever 
fill us with the fullness of God. Re- 
ligion is spiritual, elevating, pure, God- 
like. We dwell with God"; walk with 
God; live with God; commune with 
God ; are like God. We become par- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



61 



20 Now a unto him that is able to 
do exceeding abundantly above all 
that we ask or think, according to 
the power that worketh in us, 

a Rom. 16. 25. Heb. 13. 20, 21. Jude24. 



takers of the divine nature (2 Pet. i. 4); 
in rank we are associated with angels; 
in happiness and purity Ave are associ- 
ated with God ! 

20. Now unto him. It is not uncom- 
mon for Paul to utter an ascription of 
praise in the midst of an argument. 
See Rom. ix. 5 ; xi. 36. Gal. i. 5. Here 
his mind is full of the subject ; and in 
view of the fact that God communi- 
cates to his people such blessings — 
that they may become filled with all 
his fullness, he desires that praise 
should be given to him. ^[ That is able 
to do. See Notes on Romans xvi. 25. 
^Exceeding abundantly. The com- 
pound word here used occurs only in 
this place, and in 1 Thess. iii. 10; v. 13. 
It means, to an extent which we can 
not express. % Above all that we ask or 
think. More than all that we can de- 
sire in our prayers ; more than all that 
we can conceive. See Notes on 1 Cor. 
ii. 9. If According to the power that work- 
eth in us. The exertion of that same 
power can accomplish for us more 
than we can now conceive. 

21. Unto him be glory. See Notes on 
Rom. xvi. 27. ^ In the Church. Or, by 
the Church. Verse 10. The Church 
was to be the instrument by which, 
the glory of God would be shown, and 
it was by the Church that his praise 
would be celebrated. H Throughout all 
ages, world without end. There is a rich- 
ness and amplification of language 
here which shows that his heart was 
full of the subject, and that it was dif- 
ficult to find words to express his con- 
ceptions. It means, in the strongest 
sense, forever. It is one of u the apos- 
tle's self- invented phrases" (Bloom- 
field)', and Blackwall says that no t er- 
sion can fully express the meaning. 
It is literally, "Unto all generations 
of the age of ages,'" or "unto all the 
generations of the eternity of eterni- 
ties, or the eternity of ages." It is 
the language of a heart full of the 
love of God, and desiring that he might 
be praised without ceasing forever and 
ever. 

REMARKS. 

1. It is a great and glorious truth 



21 Unto him he glory in the 
Church by Christ Jesus, through- 
out all ages, world without end. 
Amen. 



that the offers of the Gospel are made 
to us who are by nature Gentiles, and 
that those offers are confined to no 
class or condition of men — to no na- 
tion or tribe. Vers. 1-6. This truth 
had been concealed for ages. The 
Jews regarded themselves as a pecul- 
iar people, and as exclusively the fa- 
vorites of heaven. The great effort 
has been made every where to show 
that there is a favored class of men — 
a class whom God regards with pecul- 
iar affection on account of their birth, 
or rank, or nation, £r wealth, or com- 
plexion. In one nation there has 
been a distinction of caste carefully 
kept up from age to age, and sustained 
by all the power of the priesthood and 
the laws; and it has been held that 
that one class was the favorite of heav- 
en, and that every other-was overlook- 
ed or despised. In another nation it 
has been held that tire services of an 
illustrious ancestry made a difference 
among men, and that this fact was to 
be regarded even in religion. In an- 
other^ complexion has made a differ- 
ence; and the feeling has insensibly 
grown up that one class are the favor- 
ites of heaven because they have a 
skin not colored like others, and that 
those not thus favored may be doom- 
ed to hopeless toil and servitude. In 
another, the attempt is made to create 
such a distinction by wealth, and it 
is felt that the rich are the favorites 
of heaven. In all these cases there 
is the secret feeling that in virtue of 
rank, or blood, or property, one class 
are the objects of divine interest more 
than others, and that the same plan 
of salvation is not needed for them 
which is required for the poor, for the 
ignorant, and for the slave. But the 
Gospel regards all men as on a level ; 
it offers the same salvation to all, and 
offers it on the same terms. This is 
one of its glories, and for this we 
should love it. Jt meets man as he is 
—as every where a fallen and a ruined 
being, and it provides a plan adapted 
to raise all to the glories of the same 
heaven. 

2. Humility becomes us. Verse 8. 
Paul felt that In; was the least of all 



02 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



paints. He remembered his former 
life. He recalled the time when he 
persecuted the Church. He felt that 
he was not worthy to be enrolled in 
that society which he had so greatly 
injured. If Paul was humble, who 
should not be? Who, since his time, 
has equaled his ardor, his zeal, his at- 
tainments in the divine life ? Yet the 
remembrance of his former life served 
always to keep him humble, and oper- 
ated as a check on all the tendencies 
to pride in his bosom. So it should 
be with us— with all Christians. There 
has been enough in our past lives, if 
we would recall it, to make us humble, | 
and to make us feel that we are not 
worthy to be enrolled among the 
saints. One has been an infidel; one j 
licentious; one intemperate; one rash, 
revengeful, passionate; one proud and 
ambitious; one false, dishonest, faith- 
less ; all have had hearts opposed to j 
God, alienated from good, and prone 
to evil; and there is not a Christian ! 
in the world who will not find enough 
in his past life to make him humble, \ 
if he will examine himself— enough to 
make him feel that he deserves not i 
even the lowest place among the saints. ■ 
S<5 we shall feel if we look over our j 
lives since we made a profession of re- \ 
ligion. The painful conviction will 
come over our souls that we have lived j 
so far from God, and done so little in j 
his cause, that we are not worthy of j 
the lowest place among the blessed. 

3. It is a privilege to preach the Gos- j 
pel. Ver. 8. So Paul felt. It was an 
honor of which he felt that he was by j 
no means worthy. It was proof of the 
favor of God towards him that he was 
permitted to do it. It is a privilege — I 
an honor — to preach the Gospel, any ! 
where, and to any class of men. It is 
an honor to be permitted to preach in 
Christian lands; it is an honor to preach 
among the heathen. It is an honor far 
above that of conquerors ; and he wmo j 
does it will win a brighter and more i 
glorious crown than he who goes forth 
to obtain glory by dethroning kings, j 
and laying nations waste. The war- | 
rior goes with the sword in one hand 
and the torch in the other. His path 
is marked with blood-and with smoul- 
dering ruins. He treads among the 
slain ; and the music of his march is 
made up of dying groans, and the 
shrieks of widows and orphans. Yet 
he is honored, and his name is blazon- 
ed abroad; he is crowned with the 



laurel, and triumphal arches are rear- 
ed, and monuments are erected to per- 
petuate his fame. The man who car- 
ries the Gospel goes for a different 
purpose. He is the minister of peace. 
He goes to tell of salvation. He fires 
no city; lays waste no field; robs no 
one of a home, no wife of a husband, 
no child of a father, no sister of a broth- 
er; he goes to elevate the intellect, 
to mould the heart to virtue, to estab- 
lish schools and colleges ; to promote 
temperance, industry, and chastity; to 
wipe away tears, and to tell of heaven. 
Mis course is marked by intelligence 
and order ; by peace and purity ; by 
the joy of the domestic circle, and the 
happiness of a virtuous fireside; by 
consolation on the bed of pain, and by 
the hope of heaven that cheers the 
djing. Who would not rather be a 
preacher of the Gospel than a blood- 
stained warrior? Who would not 
rather have the wreath that will encir- 
cle the brows of Paul, and Schwartz, 
and Martyn, and Brainerd, than the 
laurels of Alexander and Csesar ? 

4. There is ample fullness in the plan 
of salvation by the Redeemer. Ver. 8. 
In Christ there are unsearchable riches. 
None can understand the fullness that 
there is in him ; none can exhaust it. 
Millions, and hundreds of millions, 
have been saved by his merits, and 
still those merits are as ample as ever. 
The sun in the heavens has shone for 
six thousand years, and has shed light 
and comfort on countless millions, 
but his beams are not exhausted or di- 
minished in splendor. To-day, while 
I write — this beautiful, calm, sweet 
day — (June 24, 1840) his beams are as 
bright, as rich, as full, as they were 
when they were shed on Eden. So of 
the Sun of righteousness. Millions 
have been enlightened by his beams ; 
but to-day they are as full, as rich, and 
as glorious as they were when the first 
ray from that sun reached the benight- 
ed-mind of a penitent sinner. And 
that fullness is not to be exhausted. 
No matter how many partake of his 
abundance; no matter how many dark- 
ened minds are enlightened ; no mat- 
ter though nation after nation comes 
and partakes of his fullness, yet there 
is no approach to exhaustion. The 
sun in the heavens may waste his fires 
and burn out, and become a lurid orb, 
diffusing horror over a cold and cheer- 
less world; but not so with the Sun 
of righteousjness. That will shine on 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



63 



in glory forever and ever ; and the last 
penitent sinner on earth who comes 
to partake of the riches of the grace 
of Christ will find it as full and free as 
did the first who sought pardon 
through his blood. Oh, the unsearch- 
able riches of Christ ! Who can un- 
derstand this ? Who can grow weary 
in its contemplation ? 

5. There is no good reason why any 
sinner should be lost. Ver. 8. If the 
merits of the Saviour were limited ; 
if his arm were a feeble human arm ; 
if he died only for a part, and if his 
merit were already well-nigh exhaust- 
ed, we might begin to despair. But 
it is not so. The riches of his grace 
are unbounded and inexhaustible. 
And why,then, does the sinner die? I 
can answer. He dies like the man who 
expires of thirst while fountains bub- 
ble and streams flow all around him ; 
like him who is starving amidst trees 
loaded with fruit; like him who is dy- 
ing of fever in the midst of medicines 
that would at once restore him ; like 
him who holds his breath and dies 
while the balmy air of heaven — pure, 
full, and free— floats all around him. 
If a man thus dies, who is to blame ? 
If a man goes down to hell from lands 
where the Gospel is preached, whose 
is the fault? It is' not because the 
merits of Christ are limited ; it is not 
because they are exhausted. 

6. The Church is designed to accom- 
plish a most importantpurpose in the 
manifestation of the divine glory and 
perfections. Verse 10. It is by that 
that the great wisdom of God is shown. 
It is by that entirely that his mercy is 
displayed. Chap. ii. 7. His power is 
shown in the creation and support of 
the worlds ; his goodness in the works 
of creation and Providence ; his truth 
in his promises and threatenings ; his 

reatness and majesty are every where 
isplayed in the universe which he has 
brought into being. His mercy is 
shown in the Church, and there alone. 
Angels in heaven, not having sinned, 
ha ve had no occasion for its exercise, 
and angels that arc fallen have had no 
offer of pardon. Throughout the wide 
universe there has been, so far as we 
know, no exercise of mercy but in the 
Church. Hence the interest which 
the angelic beings feel in the work of 
redemption. Hence they desire to 
look into these things, and to sec more 
of the heighth, and depth, and length, 
and breadth of the love of God evineed 



in the work of redemption. Hence 
the Church is to be honored forever 
as the means of making known to dis- 
tant worlds the way in which God 
shows mercy to rebellious creatures. 
It is honor enough for one world thus 
to be the sole means of making known 
to the universe one of the attributes 
of God ; and while other worlds may 
contain more proofs of his power and 
greatness, it is enough for ours that 
it shows to distant worlds how he can 
exercise compassion. 

7. All tribulation and affliction may 
be intended to do some good, and may 
benefit others. Verse "13. Paul felt 
that his sufferings were for the "glory" 
— the welfare and honor of the Gentiles 
in whose cause he was suffering. He 
was then a prisoner at Rome. He was 
permitted no longer to go abroad from 
land to land to preach the Gospel. 
How natural would it have been for 
him to be desponding, and to feel that 
he was leading a useless life. But he 
did not feel thus. He felt that in some 
way he might be doing good. He was 
suffering in a good cause, and his trials 
had been brought on him by the ap- 
pointment of God. He gave himself 
to writing letters ; he talked with all 
who would come to him (Acts xxviii. 
80, 31), and he expected to accomplish 
something by his example in his suf- 
ferings. The sick, the afflicted, and 
the imprisoned often feel that they are 
useless. They are laid aside from pub- 
lic and active life, and they feel that 
they are living in vain. But it is not 
so. The long imprisonment j3f John 
Bunyan — so mysterious to him and to 
his friends — was the means of produc- 
ing the Pilgrim's Progress, now trans- 
lated into more than twenty languages, 
and already blessed to the salvation 
of tens of thousands. The meekness, 
and patience, and kindness of a Chris- 
tian on a bed of pain may do more for 
the honor of religion than he could do 
in a life of health. It shows the sus- 
taining power of the Gospel ; and this 
is much. It is worth much suffering 
to show to a world what the Gospel 
can do in supporting the soul in times 
of trial; and he who is imprisoned or 
persecuted; lie who lies month after 
month, or year after year on a bed of 
languishing, may do more for the hon- 
or of religion than by many years of 
active life. 

8. There is but one family among the 
friends of God. Verse 15. They all 



64 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



have one Father, and all are brethren. 
In heaven and on earth they belong to 
the same family, and worship the same 
God. Let Christians, therefore, first 
love one another. Let them lay aside 
all contention and strife. Let them feel 
that they are brethren— that, though 
they belong to different denomina- 
tions, and are called by different names, 
yet they belong to the same family, 
and are united under the same glori- 
ous head. Let 'them, secondly, realize 
how highly they are honored. They 
belong to the 'same family as the an- 
gels of light and the spirits of just men 
made perfect. It is an honor to be- 
long to such a family ; an honor to be 
a Christian. Oh, if we saw this in its 
true light, how much more honorable 
would it be to belong to this "family" 
than to belong to the families of the 
great on earth, and to have our names 
enrolled with nobles and with kings ! 

9. Let us seek to know more of the 
love of Christ in our redemption — to 
understand more of the extent of that 
love which he evinced for us. Vs. 16- 
19. It is worth our study. It will re- 
ward our efforts. There are few Chris- 
tians — if there are any — who under- 
stand the richness and fullness of the 
Gospel of Christ ; -few who have such 
elevated views as they might have, and 
should have, of the glory of that Gos- 
pel. It is wonderful that they who 
profess to love the Lord Jesus do not 
study that system more, and desire 
more to know the heighth, and depth, 
and length, and breadth of the love of 
Christ. True, it passes knowledge. 
We can not hope fully to fathom it in 
this world. But we may know more 
of it than we do. We may aspire to 
being filled with all the fullness of God. 
We may long for it; pant for it; strive 
for it; pray for it— and we shall not 
strive in vain. Though we shall not 
attain all we wish ; though there will 
be an infinity beyond what we can un- 
derstand in this world, yet there will 
be enough attained to reward all our 
efforts, and to fill us with love, and joy, 
and peace. The love of God our Sav- 
iour is indeed an illimitable ocean; 
but we may see enough of it in this 
world to lead us to adore and praise 
God with overflowing hearts. , 

CHAPTER IV. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter is the commencement 
of the practical part of the epistle, and 



is made up, like the remaining chap- 
ters, of various exhortations. It is in 
accordance with the usual habit of 
Paul to conduct an argument in his 
epistles, and then to enforce various 
practical duties, either growing out of 
the argument which he had maintain- 
ed, or, more commonly, adapted to 
some particular state of things in the 
Church to which he wrote. The points 
of exhortation in this chapter are, in 
general, the following : 

I. An exhortation to unity. Vs. 1-6. 
He entreats them to walk worthy of 
.their vocation (verse 1) ; shows them 
how it could be done, or what he 
meant — that, in order to that, they 
should show meekness and kindness 
(ver. 2), and particularly exhorts them 
to unity (verse 3) ; for they had one 
God, one Saviour, one baptism, one 
religion. Vs. 4-6. 

II. He shows them that God has 
made ample provision for his people, 
that they may be sound in the faith, 
and in unity of life and of doctrine, and 
need not be driven about with every 
wind of opinion. Vers. 7-16. He as- 
sures them that to every Christian is 
given grace in the Redeemer adapted 
to his circumstances (ver. 7) ; that the 
Lord Jesus ascended to heaven to ob- 
tain gifts for his people (vers. 8-10) ; 
that he had given apostles, prophets, 
and evangelists for the very purpose 
of imparting instruction, and confirm- 
ing them in the faith of the Gospel 
(vs. 11, 12) ; that this was in order that 
they might attain to the highest ele- 
vation in Christian knowledge and pi- 
ety (verse 13) ; and particularly that 
they might not be driven to and fro, 
and carried about with every wind of 
doctrine. Vs. 14-16. 

III. Having these arrangements 
made for their knowledge and piety, 

I he exhorts them not to live as the hea- 
then around them lived, but to show 
that they were under a better influ- 
ence. Vs. 17-24. Their understand- 
ing was darkened, and they were alien- 
ated from the life of God, or true re- 
ligion (ver. 18); they were past feeling, 
! and were given over to every form of 
I sensuality. Ver. 19. The Ephesians, 
however, had been taught a different 
thing (vs. 20, 21), and the apostle ex- 
horts them to lay aside every thing 
pertaining to their former course of 
life, and to become wholly conformed 
to the principles of the new man. Vs. 
22-24. 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



CHAPTER IV. 

I THEREFORE, the prisoner 1 of 
the Lord, beseech you that ye 

1 or, in. 

IV. He exhorts them to perform 
particular Christian duties, and to put 
away certain evils, of which they and 
all others were in danger. Vs. 25-32. 
In particular, he entreats them to 
avoid lying (ver. 25) ; anger (ver. 26) ; 
theft (ver. 28); corrupt and corrupting 
conversation (verse 29); grieving the 
Holy Spirit (ver. 30) ; bitterness, evil- 
speaking, and malice (verse 31) ; and 
entreats them to manifest in their in- 
tercourse with each other a spirit of 
kindness and forgiveness. Ver. 32. 

. 1. 1 therefore. In view of the great 
and glorious truths which God has re- 
vealed, and of the grace which he has 
manifested towards you who are Gen- 
tiles. See the previous chapters. The 
sense of the word "therefore" — ow — 
in this place, is, "Such being your ex- 
alted privileges ; since God has done 
so much for you ; since he has reveal- 
ed for you such a glorious system; 
since he has bestowed on you the hon- 
or of calling you into his kingdom, 
and making you partakers of his mer- 
cy, I entreat you to live in accordance 
with these elevated privileges, and to 
show your sense of his goodness by 
devoting your all to his service." The 
force of the word they would all 
feel. It was the appeal and exhorta- 
tion of the founder of their Church — 
of their spiritual father — of one who 
had endured much for them, and who 
was now in bonds on account of his 
devotion to the welfare of the Gentile 
world. \The prisoner of the Lord. 
Marg., in. It means that he was now 
a prisoner, or in confinement in the 
cause of the Lord; and he regarded 
himself as having been made a prison- 
er because the Lord had so willed and 
ordered it. He did not feel particu- 
larly that he was the prisoner of Nero; 
he was bound and kept because the 
Lord willed it, and because it was in 
his service. See Notes on chap. iii. 1. 
IT Beseech you that ye walk 'worthy. That 
you live as becomes those who have 
been called in this manner into the 
kingdom of God. The word walk is 
often used to denote life, conduct, etc. 
See Notes on Romans iv. 12; vi. 4. 2 
Cor. v. 7. H Of the vocation. Of the 
calling, ri]<s fc\»j<r£a»s. This word prop- 



walk "worthy of the vocation 
wherewith ye are called. 
2 With all lowliness 6 and meek- 

a Col. 1.10. b Matt. 11.29. 

erly means a call or an invitation, as 
to a banquet. Hence it means that 
divine invitation or calling by which 
Christians are introduced into the 
privileges of the Gospel. The word 
is translated calling in Romans xi. 29. 
1 Cor. i. 26 ; vii. 20. Eph. i. 18 ; iv. 1, 
4. Phil. iii. 14. 2Thess.i.ll. 2 Tim. 
i. 9. Heb. iii. 1. 2 Pet. i. 10. It does 
not elsewhere occur. The sense of the 
word is well expressed in the West- 
minster Shorter Catechism. "Effect- 
ual calling is the work of God's Spirit, 
whereby convincing us of our sin and 
misery, enlightening our minds in the 
knowledge of Christ, and renewing our 
wills, he doth persuade and enable us 
to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered 
to us in the Gospel." This calling or 
vocation is through the agency of the 
Holy Spirit, and is his appropriate 
work on the human heart. It consists 
essentially in influencing the mind to 
turn to God, or to enter into his king- 
dom. It is the exertion of so much in- 
fluence on the mind as is necessary to 
secure the turning of the sinner to 
God. In this all Christians are agreed, 
though there have been almost endless 
disputes about the actual influence ex- 
erted, and the mode in which the Spir- 
it acts on the mind. Some suppose it 
is by " moral suasion ;" some by phys- 
ical power; some by an act of creation ; 
some by inclining the mind to exert 
its proper powers in a right way, and 
to turn to God. What is the precise 
agency employed perhaps we are not 
to expect to be able to decide. See 
John iii. 8. The great, the essential 
point is held if it be maintained that 
it is by the agency of the Holy Spirit 
that the result is secured, and this I 
suppose to be held by all evangelical 
Christians. But though it is by the 
agency of the Holy Spirit, we are not 
to suppose that it is without the em- 
ployment of rneans. It is not literally 
like the act of creation. It is preced- 
ed and attended with means adapted 
to the end ; means which are almost 
as various as the individuals who are 
called into the kingdom of God. 
Among those means arc the following: 
(1.) Preaching. Probably more are call- 
ed into the kingdom by this means 
than any other. It is "God's great 



CO 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



ordinance for the salvation of men." 
It is eminently fitted for it. The pul- 
pit has higher advantages for acting 
on the mind than any other means of 
affecting men. The truths that are 
taught; the sacredness of the place; 
the peace and quietness of the sanctu- 
ary ; and the appeals to the reason, the 
conscience, and the heart— all are fit- 
ted to affect men, and to bring them 
to reflection. The Spirit makes use 
of the word preached, but in a great 
variety of ways. Sometimes many are 
impressed simultaneously; sometimes 
the same truth affects one mind while 
others are unmoved ; sometimes truth 
reaches the heart of a sinner which he 
has heard a hundred times before, 
without being interested. The Spirit 
acts with sovereign power, and bylaws 
which have never yet been traced out. 
(2.) The events of Providence are used 
to call men into his kingdom. God 
appeals to men by laying them on a 
bed of pain, or by requiring them to 
follow a friend in the still and mourn- 
ful procession to the grave. They feel 
that they must die, and they are led 
to ask the question whether they are 
prepared. Much fewer are affected 
in this way than we should suppose 
would be the case; but still there are 
many, in the aggregate, who can trace 
their hope of heaven to a fit of sick- 
ness, or to the death of a friend. (3.) 
Conversation is one of the means by 
which sinners are called into the king- 
dom of God. In some states of mind, 
where the Spirit has prepared the soul 
like mellow ground prepared for the 
seed, a few moments' conversation, 
or a single remark, will do more to ar- 
rest the attention than much preach- 
ing. (4.) Reading is often the means 
of calling men into the kingdom. The 
Bible, in this respect, is the great 
means ; and if we can get men to read 
that, we have very cheering indications 
that they will be converted. The 
profligate Earl of Rochester was awak- 
ened and led to the Saviour by reading 
the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. And 
who can estimate the number of those 
who have been converted by reading 
Baxter's Call to the Unconverted ; Al- 
leine's Alarm ; the Dairyman's Daugh- 
ter, or the Shepherd of Salisbury Plain? 
He does good who places a good book 
in the way of a sinner. That mother 
or sister is doing good, and making 
the conversion of a son or brother 
probable, who puts a Bible in his chest. 



when he goes to sea, or in his trunk 
when he goes on a journey. Never 
should a son be allowed to go from 
home without one. The time will 
come when, far away from home, he 
will read it. He will read it when his 
mind is pensive and tender, and the 
Spirit may bear the truth to his heart 
for his conversion. (5.) The Spirit 
calls men into the kingdom of Christ 
by presiding over, and directing in 
some unseen manner their own reflec- 
tions, or the operations of their own 
minds. In some way unknown to us, 
he turns the thoughts to the past life ; 
recalls forgotten deeds and plans; 
makes long past sins rise to remem- 
brance; and overwhelms the mind 
with conscious guilt from the memory 
of crime. He holds this power over 
the soul ; and it is among the most 
mighty and mysterious of all the in- 
fluences that he has on the heart. 
Sometimes — a man can hardly tell how 
— the mind will be pensive, sad, mel- 
ancholy; then conscious of guilt; then 
alarmed at the future. Often, by sud- 
den transitions, it will be changed from 
the gay to the grave, and from the 
pleasant to the sad ; and often, unex- 
pectedly to himself, and by associa- 
tions which he can not trace out, the 
sinner will find himself reflecting on 
death, judgment, and eternity. It is 
the Spirit of God that leads the mind 
along. It is not by force ; not by the 
violation of its laws, but in accordance 
with those laws, that the mind is thus 
led along to the eternal world. In 
such ways, and by such means, are men 
"called" into the kingdom of God. 
To "walk worthy of that calling" is 
to live as becomes a Christian, an heir 
of glory ; to live as Christ did. It is, 
(1. ) To bear our religion with us to all 
places, companies, employments. Not 
merely to be a Christian on the Sab- 
bath, and at the communion table, and 
in our own land, but every day, and 
every where, and in any land where 
we may be placed. We are to live re- 
ligion, and not merely to profess it. 
We are to be Christians in the count- 
ing-room as well as in the closet ; on 
the farm as well as at the communion 
table ; among strangers, and in a for- 
eign land, as Veil as'in our own coun- 
try and in the sanctuary. (2.) It is to 
do nothing inconsistent with the most 
elevated Christian character. In tem- 
per, feeling, plan, we are to give ex- 
pression to no emotion, to use no lan- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



07 



ness, with long-suffering, forbear- 
ing one another in love ; 



3 Endeavoring to keep the unity 
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 



guage, and to perform no deed that 
will be inconsistent with the most el- 
evated Christian character. (3.) It is 
to do right always; to be just to all; 
to tell the simple truth ; to defraud 
no one; to maintain a correct stand- 
ard of morals ; to be known to he hon- 
est. There is a correct standard of 
character and conduct; and a Chris- 
tian should be a man so living that we 
may always know exactly where to find 
him. He should so live that we shall 
have no doubts that, however others 
may act, we shall find him to be the 
unflinching advocate of temperance, 
chastity, honesty, and of every good 
work — of every plan that is really fit- 
ted to alleviate human woe, and to 
benefit a dying world. (4.) It is to 
live as one should who expects soon 
to be in heaven. Such a man will feel 
that the earth is not his home ; that 
he is a stranger and a pilgrim here; 
that riches, honors, and»pleasures are 
of comparatively little importance; 
that he ought to watch and pray, and 
that he ought to be holy. A man who 
feels that he may die at any moment 
will watch and pray. A man who re- 
alizes that to-morrow he may be in 
heaven, will feel that he ought to be 
holy. He who begins a day on earth 
feeling that at its close he may be 
among the angels of God, and the spir- 
its of just men made perfect ; that be- 
fore its close he may have seen the 
glorified Saviour, and the burning 
throne of God, will feel the importance 
of living a holy life, and of being whol- 
ly cle voted'to the service of God. Pure 
should be the eyes that are soon to 
look on the throne of God; pure the 
hands that are soon to strike the harps 
of praise in heaven ; pure the feet that 
are to walk the " golden streets above. ' ' 
2. With all lowliness. Humility. See 
Notes on Acts xx. 19, where the same 
Greek word is used. Comp. also the 
folio w in# places, where the same 
Greek word occurs: Phil. ii. 3, "in low- 
liness of mind, let each esteem other 
better than themselves;" Col. ii. 18,' 
"in a voluntary humility Col. ii. 23 ; 
iii. 12. 1 Peter v. 5. The word does 
not elsewhere occur in the New Testa- 
ment. The idea is, that humility of 
mind becomes those who arc " called" 
(ver. 1), and that we walk worthy of 
that calling when we evince it. H And \ 



meekness. See Notes on Matthew v. 5. 
Meekness relates to the manner in 
which we receive injuries. We are 
to bear them patiently, and not to re- 
taliate, or seek revenge. The mean- 
ing here is, that we adorn the Gospel 
when we show its power in enabling 
us to bear injuries without anger or a 
desire of revenge, or with a mild and 
forgiving spirit. See 2 Cor. x. 1. Gal. 
v.23; vi.l. 2 Tim. ii. 25. Titus iii. 2; 
where the same Greek word occurs. 
H With long -suffering, etc. Bearing pa- 
tiently with the foibles, faults, and in- 
firmities .of others. See Notes on 1 
Cor. xiii. 4. The virtue here required 
is that which is to be manifested in 
our manner of receiving the provoca- 
tions w r hich we meet with from our 
brethren. No virtue, perhaps, is more 
frequently demanded in our inter- 
course with others. We do not go 
far with any fellow-traveler on the 
journey of life before we find there is 
great occasion "for its exercise. He 
has a temperament different from our 
own. He may be sanguine, or chol- 
eric, or melancholy, while we may be 
just the reverse. He has peculiarities 
of taste, and habits, and disposition 
which differ much from ours. He has 
his own plans and xmrposes of life, and 
his own way and time of doing things. 
He may be naturalry irritable, or lie 
may have been so trained that his 
modes of speech and conduct differ 
much from ours. Neighbors have oc- 
casion to remark this in their neigh- 
bors; friends in their friends; kindred 
in their kindred ; one church-member 
in another. A husband and wife— such 
is the imperfection of human nature — 
can find enough in each other to em- 
bitter life if they choose to magnify 
imperfections, and to become irritated 
at trifles; and there is no friendship 
that may not be marred in thit way, if 
we will allow it. Hence, if we would 
have life move on smoothly, we must 
learn to bear and forbear. We must 
indulge the friend that we love in the 
little peculiarities of saying and doing 
things which may be important to him, 
but which may be of little moment to 
us. Like children, we must suffer each 
one to build his play-house in his own 
way, and not quarrel with him because 
he does not think our way the best. 
All usefulness, ami all comfort, may 



68 



EPHESIANS, 



[A.D. 64. 



4 There is one body and one Spir- 1 
it, even as ye are called in one hope 
of your calling ; 

be prevented by an unkind, a sour, a 
crabbed temper of mind— a mind that 
can bear with no difference of opinion 
or temperament. A spirit of fault- 
finding; an unsatisfied temper; a 
constant irritability ; little inequalities 
in the look, the temper, or the man- 
ner; a brow cloudy and dissatisfied — 
your husband or your wife can not tell 
why — will more than neutralize all the 
good you can do, and render life any 
thing but a blessing. It is in such 
gentle and quiet virtues as meekness 
and forbearance that the happiness 
and usefulness of life consist, far more 
than in brilliant eloquence, in splen- 
did talent, or illustrious deeds that 
shall send the name to future times. 
It is the bubbling spring which flows 
gently ; the little rivulet which glides 
through the meadow, and which runs 
along day and night by the farm-house, 
that is useful, rather than the swollen 
flood or the roaring cataract. Niag- 
ara excites our wonder, and we stand 
amazed at the power and greatness of 
God there, as he "pours it from his 
hollow hand." But one Niagara is 
enough for a continent or a world, 
while that same world needs thousands 
and tens of thousands of silver foun- 
tains and gently flowing rivulets, that 
shall water every farm, and every 
meadow, and every garden, and that 
shall flow on, every day and every 
night, with their gentle and quietbeau- 
ty. So with the acts of our lives. It 
4s not by great deeds only, like those 
of Howard — not by great sufferings 
only, like those of the martyrs— that 
good is to be done ; it is by the daily 
and quiet virtues of life — the Christian 
temper, the meek forbearance, the spir- 
it of forgiveness in the husband, the 
wife, the father, the mother, the broth- 
er, the sister, the friend, the neighbor 
—that good is to be done, and in this 
all may be useful. 

3. The unity of the Spirit. A united 
spirit, or oneness of spirit. This does 
not refer to the fact that there is one 
Holy Spirit ; but it refers to unity of 
affection, of confidence, of love. It 
means that Christians should be uni- 
ted in temper and affection, and not 
be split up into factions and parties. 
It may be implied here, as is undoubt- 
edly true, that such a unity would be 



5 One Lord, one faith, one bap- 
tism, 

6 One God and Father of all, who 

produced only by the Holy Spirit; and 
that, as there was but one Spirit which 
had acted on their hearts to renew 
them, they ought to evince the same 
feelings and views. There was occa- 
sion among the Ephesians for this ex- 
hortation, for they were composed 
of Jews and Gentiles, and there might 
be danger of divisions and strifes, as 
there had been in other churches. 
There is always occasion for such an 
exhortation; for (1.) unity of feeling 
is eminently desirable to honor the 
Gospel (see Notes on John xvii. 21) ; 
and (2.) there is always danger of dis- 
cord where men are brought together 
in one society. There are so many 
different tastes and habits; there is 
such a variety of intellect and feeling; 
the modes of education have been so 
various, and the temperament may be 
so different, that there is constant dan- 
ger of division. Hence the subject is 
so often dwelt on in the Scriptures 
(see Notes on 1 Cor. ii. seq. ), and hence 
there is so much need of caution and 
of care in the churches. ^[ In the bond 
of peace. This was to be by the culti- 
vation of that peaceful temper which 
binds all together. The American In- 
dians usually spoke of peace as a "chain 
of friendship" which was to be kept 
bright. The meaning here is, that 
they should be bound or united to- 
gether in the sentiments and affections 
of peace. It is not mere external unity; 
it is not a mere unity of creed ; it is 
not a mere unity in the forms of pub- 
lic worship; it is such as the Holy 
Spirit produces in the hearts of Chris- 
tians, when he fills them all with the 
same love, and joy, and peace in be- 
lieving. The following verses contain 
the reasons for this. 

4. There is one body. One Church — 
for so the word body means here — de- 
noting the body of Christ. See Notes 
on Rom. xii. 5. Comp. Notes on Eph. 
i. 23. The meaning here is, that as 
there is really but one Church on earth, 
there ought to be unity. The Church 
is, at present, divided into many de- 
nominations. It has different forms of 
worship, and different rites and cere- 
monies. It embraces those of differ- 
ent complexions and ranks in life, and 
it can not be denied that there are oft- 
| en unhappy contentions and jealous- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



69 



ies in different parts of that Church. 
Still, there is but one — "one holy, 
catholic (that is, universal) Church," 
and that Church should feel that it is 
one. Christ did not come to redeem 
and save different churches, and to 
give them a different place in heaven. 
He did not come to save the Episco- 
pal communion merely, or the Presby- 
terian or the Methodist communions 
only, nor did he leave the world in or- 
der to fit up for them different man- 
sions in heaven. He did not come to 
save merely the black man, or the red, 
or the white man, nor did he leave the 
world that he might set up for them 
separate mansions in the skies. He 
came that he might collect into one 
community a multitude of eveiy com- 
plexion, and from every land, and unite 
them in one great brotherhood on 
earth, and ultimately assemble them 
in the same heaven. Comp. Rev. vii. 
9. The Church is one. Every sincere 
Christian is a brother in that Church, 
and has an equal right with all others 
to its privileges. Being one by the 
design of the Saviour, they should be 
one in feeling, and every Christian, 
no matter what his rank, should be 
ready to hail every other Christian as 
a fellow-heir of heaven. If One Spirit. 
The Holy Spirit. There is one and 
the self-same Spirit that dwells in the 
Church. .The same Spirit has awak- 
ened all ; enlightened all ; convicted 
all; converted all. Wherever they 
may be, and whoever, yet there has 
been substantially the same work of 
the Spirit on the heart of every Chris- 
tian. There are circumstantial differ- 
ences arising from diversities of tem- 
perament, disposition, and education ; 
there may be a difference in the depth 
and power of his operations on the 
soul ; there may be a difference in the 
degree of conviction for sin, and in the 
evidence of conversion, but still there 
are the same operations on the heart 
essentially,produced by the same Spir- 
it. See Notes on 1 Cor. xii. 6-11. All 
the gifts of prayer and of preaching; 
all the zeal, the ardor, the love, the 
self-denial in the Church, are produced 
by the same Spirit. There should be, 
therefore, unity. The Church is uni- 
ted in the agency by which it is saved ; 
it should be united in the feelings 
which influence its members. ^ Even 
as ye are called. See ver. 1. The sense 
is," there is one body and one spirit, 
in like manner as there is one hope re- 



sulting from your calling." The same 
notion of oneness is found in relation 
to each of these things. H In one hope 
of your calling. In one hope resulting 
from your being called into his king- 
dom. On the meaning of the word 
hope, see Notes on chap. ii. 12. The 
meaning here is, that Christians have 
the same hope, and they should there- 
fore be one. They are looking for- 
ward to the same heaven ; they expect 
the same happiness beyond the grave. 
It is not as on earth among the people 
of the world, where there is a variety 
of hopes — where one hopes for pleas- 
ure, another for honor, and another 
for gain ; but there is the prospect of 
the same inexhaustible joy. This hope 
is fitted to promote union. There is 
no rivalry, for there is enough for all. 
Hope on earth does not always pro- 
duce union and harmony. Two men 
hope to obtain the same office; two 
students hope to obtain the same hon- 
or in college ; two rivals hope to ob- 
tain the same hand in marriage — and 
the consequence is jealousy, conten- 
tion, and strife. The reason is, that 
but one can attain the object. Not so 
with the crown of life— with the re- 
wards of heaven. All may obtain that 
crow r n ; all may share those rewards. 
How can Christians contend in an an- 
gry manner with each other, when the 
hope of dwelling in the same heaven 
swells their bosoms and animates their 
hearts ? 

5. One Lord. This evidently refers 
to the Lord Jesus. The "Spirit" is 
mentioned in the previous verse, the 
Father in the verse following. On the 
application of the word "Lord" to 
the Saviour, see Notes on Acts i. 24. 
The argument here is, that there ought 
to be unity among Christians because 
they have one Lord and Saviour. They 
have not different Saviours adapted 
to different classes: not one for the 
Jew and another for the Greek; not 
one for the rich and another for the 
poor ; not one for the bond and anoth- 
er for the free. There is but one. He 
belongs in common to all as their Sav- 
iour, and he has a right to rule over 
one as much as over another. The re 
is no better way of promoting unity 
among Christians than by reminding 
them that they have the same Saviour. 
And when jealousies and heart -burn- 
ings arise; when they arc disposed to 
contend about trifles; when they mag- 
nify unimportant matters until they 



70 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



are in danger of rending the Church \ 
asunder, let them feel that they have 
one Lord and Saviour, and they will 
lay aside their contentions and be one 
again. Let two men who have never 
seen each other before meet in a dis- 
tant land, and feel that they have the 
same Redeemer, and their hearts will 
mingle into one. They are not aliens, 
bat friends. A chord of sympathy is 
struck more tender than that which 
binds them to country or home, and 
though of different nations, complex- 
ions, or habits, they will feel that they 
are one. Why should contentions 
ever arise between those who have the 
same Redeemer ? ^ One faith. The 
same belief. That is, either the belief 
of the same doctrines, or faith of the 
same nature in the heart. The word 
may be taken in either sense. I see 
no reason why it should not include 
both here, or be used in the widest 
sense. If so used, it means that Chris- 
tians should be united because they 
hold the same great doctrines, and 
also because they have the same confi- 
dence in the Redeemer in their hearts. 
They hold the same system, as distin- 
. guished from Judaism, Paganism, Mo- 
hammedanism, Deism, and they should 
therefore be one. They have the same 
trust in Christ as a living, practical 
principle, and they should therefore 
be one. They may differ in other at- 
tachments, in temperament, in pur- 
suit, in professions in life, but they 
have a common faith, and they should 
be one. U One baptism. This does 
not affirm that there is one mode of 
baptism, but it refers to the thing itself. 
They are all baptized in the name of 
the same Father, Saviour, Sanctifier. 
They have all, in this manner, been 
consecrated unto God and devoted to 
his service. Whether by immersion, 
or by pouring, or by sprinkling, they 
have all been baptized with water; 
whether it is done in adult j r ears or 
in infancy, the same solemn act has 
been performed on all — the act of con- 
secration to the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Ghost. This passage can not 
be adduced to prove that only one 
mode of baptism is lawful, unless it 
can be shown that the thing referred 
to here was the mode, and not the thing 
itself; and unless it can be proved that 
Paul meant to build his argument for 
the unity of Christians on the fact that 
the same/orm was used in their bap- 
tism. But this is evidently not the 



point of his argument. The argument 
is, that there was really but one bap- 
tism — not that there was but one mode 
of baptism. I could not use this argu- 
ment in this form, "Christians should 
be one because they have been all bap- 
tized by sprinkling and yet the ar- 
gument would be just as forcible as to 
use it in this form, "Christians should 
be one because they have all been bap- 
tized by immersion." There is one 
baptism, not one mode of baptism ; and 
no man has a right to assume that 
there can be but one mode, and then 
apply this passage to that. The essen- 
tial thing in the argument before us is 
that there has been a consecration to 
the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
Ghost by the application of water. 
Thus understood, the argument is one 
that will be felt by all who have been 
devoted to God by baptism. They 
have taken the same vows upon them ; 
they have consecrated themselves to 
the same God; they have made the 
same solemn profession of religion. 
W f aterhas been applied to one and all 
as the emblem of the purifying influ- 
ences of the Holy Spirit, and having 
been thus initiated in a solemn man- 
ner into the same profession of relig- 
ion, they should be one. 

6. One God. The same God; there- 
fore there should be unity. W T ere 
there many gods to be worshipped, 
there could be no more hope of unity 
than there is among the worshippers of 
Mammon and Bacchus, and the vari- 
ous other idols that men set up. Men 
who have different pursuits, and differ- 
ent objects of supreme affection, can 
be expected to have no union. Men 
who worship many gods can not hope 
to be united. Their affections are di- 
rected to different objects, and there 
is no harmony or sympathy of feeling. 
But where there is one supreme ob- 
ject of attachment, there may be ex- 
pected to be unit} 7 . The children of 
a family that are devoted to a parent 
will be united among themselves, and 
the fact that all Christians have the 
same great object of worship should 
constitute a strong bond of union 
among themselves — a chain always 
kept bright. U The Father of all. One 
God, who is the Father of all ; that is, 
who is a common Father to all who 
believe. That this refers to the Fa- 
ther,in contradistinction from the Son 
and the Holy Spirit, seems evident. 
The Spirit and the Son are mentioned 



A.D. G4.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



71 



is above all, and through all, and 
in you all. 
7 But unto every one of us is 



in the previous verses. But the fact 
that the " Father of all" is mentioned 
as u God" does not prove that the Spir- 
it and the Son are not also endowed 
with divine attributes. That question 
is to be determined by the attributes 
ascribed to the Son and the Holy Spir- 
it in other places. All true Christians 
worship one God, and but one. But 
they suppose that this one God sub- 
sists as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
united in a mysterious manner, and 
constituting the one God, and that 
there is no other God. That the Fa- 
ther is divine they all hold, as Paul af- 
firms here ; that the Son and the Holy 
Spirit are also divine they also hold. 
See Notes on John i. Heb. i. Phil, 
ii. 6. Rom, ix. 5. The meaning here 
is, that God is the common Father of 
all his people — of the rich and the 
poor, the bond and the free, the learn- 
ed and the unlearned. He is no re- 
specter of persons. Nothing would 
tend more to overcome the prejudices 
of color, rank, and wealth than to feel 
that we all have one Father, and that 
we are all equally the objects of his 
favor! Comp. Notes on Acts xvii. 26. 
^] Who is above all. Who is supreme ; 
who presides over all things. H And 
through all. He pervades universal 
nature, and his agency is seen every 
where. H And in you all. There is no 
one in whose heart he does not dwell. 
You are his temple, and he abides in 
you. Comp. ch. ii. 22. See Notes on 
1 Cor. vi. 19. The argument here is, 
that as the same God dwelt in every 
heart, they ought to be one. See this 
argument beautifully expressed in the 
Saviour's prayer, John xvii. 21. Comp. 
John xiv. 23. 

7. But unto every one of us. Every 
Christian, "fl Is given grace. The favor 
of God; meaning here, that God has 
bestowed upon each sincere Christian 
the means of living as he ought to do, 
and has in his Gospel made ample pro- 
vision that they may walk worthy of 
their vocation. What are the endow- 
ments thus given the apostle states in 
the following verses. The grace re- 
ferred to here most probably means 
the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, 
or his operations on the heart in con- 
nection with the use of the means 



given grace according to the meas- 
ure a of the gift of Christ. 
8 Wherefore he saith, 6 When he 

a Rom. 12. 3. b Psa. 68. 18. 

which God has appointed. If Accord- 
ing to the measure of the gift of Christ. 
Grace is bestowed upon all true Chris- 
tians, and all have enough to enable 
them to live a life of holiness. Yet 
we are taught here, (1.) That it is a 
gift. It is bestowed on us. It is net 
what is originated by ourselves. (2.) 
It is by a certain measure. It is not 
unlimited, and without rule. There 
is a wise adaptation ; an imparting it 
by a certain rule. The same grace is 
not given to all, but to all is given 
enough to enable them to live as~they 
ought to live. (8.) That measure is 
the gift of Christ, or what is given in 
Christ. It comes through him. It is 
what he has purchased ; what he has 
obtained by his merits. All have 
enough for the purposes for which God 
has called them into his kingdom, but 
there are not the same endowments 
conferred on all. Some have grace giv- 
en them to qualify them for the min- 
istry ; some to be apostles ; some to 
be martyrs ; some to make them em- 
inent as public benefactors. All this 
has been obtained by Christ, and one 
should not complain that another has 
more distinguished endowments than 
he has. Comp. Notes on Rom. xii. 3, 
6. John i. 16. 

8. Whereforehe saith. The word "he" 
is not in the original ; and it may mean 
"the Scriptu re saith ," or u God saith." 
The point of the argument here is, that 
Christ, when he ascended to heaven, 
obtained certain gifts for men, and that 
those gifts are bestowed upon his peo- 
ple in accordance with the fact that 
he " obtained" them To prove that, 
the apostle adduces this passage from 
Psa. lxviii. 18. Much perplexity has 
been felt in regard to the principle on 
which he quotes this psalm, and ap- 
plies it to the ascension of the Redeem 
er. The psalm seems to have been 
composed on the occasion of remov- 
ing the ark of the covenant from Kir- 
jath-jearim to Mount Zion. 2 Sam. 
vi. 1, seq. It is a song of trium ph, 
celebrating the victories of JEHOVAH, 
and particularly the victories which 
had been achieved when the, ark was 
at the head of the army It appears 
to have no relation to the Messiah; 
nor would it probably occur to any 



72 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



one, on reading it, that it referred to 
his ascension, unless it had been so 
quoted by the apostle. Great difficul- 
ty has been felt, therefore, in deter- 
mining on what principle Paul applied 
it to the ascension of the Redeemer. 
Some have supposed that the psalm 
had a primary reference to the Messi- 
ah ; some that it referred to him in 
only a secondary sense ; some that it 
is applied to him by way of "accom- 
modation ;" and some that he merely 
uses the words as adapted to express 
his idea, as a man adopts words which 
are familiar to him, and which will ex- 
press his thoughts, though not mean- 
ing to say that the words had any such 
reference originally. Storr supposes 
that the words were used by the Ephe- 
sian Christians in their hymns, and 
that Paul quoted them as containing a 
sentiment which was admitted among 
them. This is possible-; but it is mere 
conjecture. It has been also supposed 
that the tabernacle was a type of Christ ; 
and that the whole psalm, therefore, 
having original reference to the taber- 
nacle, might be applied to Christ as 
the antitype. But this is both con- 
jectural and fanciful. On the various 
modes adopted to account for the dif- 
ficulty, the reader may consult Rosen- 
miiller, in loc. To me it seems plain 
that the psalm had original reference 
to the bringing up the ark to Mount 
Zion, and is a triumphal song. In the 
song or psalm, the poet shows why 
God was to be praised — on account of 
his greatness, and his benignity to men. 
Vs. 1-6. He then recounts the doings 
of God in former times, particularly 
his conducting his people through the 
wilderness, and the fact that his ene- 
mies were discomfited before him. 
Vs. 7-12. All this refers to the God, 
the symbols of whose presence were 
on the tabernacle, and accompanying 
the ark. He then speaks of the vari- 
ous fortunes that had befallen the ark 
of the covenant. It had lain among 
the pots, verse 13, yet it had formerly 
been white as snow when God scatter- 
ed kings by it. Verse 14. He then 
speaks of the hill of God— the Mount 
Zion to which the ark was about to 
be removed, and says that it is an 
" high hill" — "high as the hills of 
Bashan," the hill where God desired 
to dwell forever. Verse 16. God is 
then introduced as ascending that hill, 
encompassed with thousands of an- 
gels, as in Mount Sinai ; and the poet 



says that, in doing it, he had triumph- 
ed over his enemies, and had led cap- 
tivity captive. Ver. 18. The fact that 
the ark of God thus ascended the hill 
of Zion, the place of rest ; that it was 
to remain there as its permanent abode, 
no more to be carried about at the 
head of armies, was the proof of its 
triumph. It had made every thing 
captive. It had subdued every foe; 
audits ascent there would be the means 
of obtaining invaluable gifts for men. 
Mercy and truth would go forth from 
that mountain ; and the true religiou 
would spread abroad, even to the re- 
bellious, as the results of the triumph 
of God, whose symbol was over the 
tabernacle and the ark. The placing 
the ark there was the proof of perma- 
nent victory, and would be connected 
with most important benefits to men. 
The "ascending on high," therefore, 
in the psalm, refers, as it seems to me, 
to the ascent of the symbol of the di- 
vine presence accompanying the ark 
on Mount Zion, or to the placing it 
" on high" above all its foes. The re- 
mainder of thepsalm corresponds with 
this view. This ascent of the ark on 
Mount Zion ; this evidence of its tri 
umph over all the foes of God ; this 
permanent residence of the ark there ; 
and this fact that its being established 
there would be followed with the be- 
stowment of invaluable gifts to men, 
might be regarded as a beautiful em- 
blem of the ascension of the Redeem- 
er to heaven. There were strong 
points of resemblance. He also as- 
cended on high His ascent was a 
proof of victory over his foes. He 
went there for a permanent abode; 
and his ascension was connected with 
the bestowment of important bless- 
ings to men. It is as such emblematic 
language, I suppose, that the apostle 
makes the quotation It did not orig- 
inally refer to this; but the events 
were so similar in many respects that 
the one would suggestthe other, and 
the same language would describe 
both. It was language familiar to the 
apostle; language that would aptly 
express his thoughts, and language 
that was not improbably applied to 
the ascension of the Redeemer by 
Christians at that time. The phrase, 
therefore, "he saith," \tyti, or "it 
saith," or " the "Scripture saith," 
means "it is said;" or, "this language 
will properly express the fact under 
consideration, to wit, that there is 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



78 



ascended up on high, he led 1 cap- 
tivity captive, and gave gifts unto 
men. 

9 (Now that he ascended, what is 
it but that he also descended first 
into the lower parts of the earth ? 

1 or, a multitude of captives. 

grace given to each one of us, or that 
the me ns are furnished by the Re- 
deemer for us to lead holy lives." 
If When he ascended up on high. To 
heaven. The psalm is, u Thou hast 
ascended on high." Compare Eph. i. 
22, 23. U He led captivity captive. The 
meaning of this in the psalm is, that 
he triumphed over his foes. The mar- 
gin is a multitude of captives. But this, 
I think, is not quite the idea. It is 
language derived from a conqueror, 
who not only makes captives, but who 
makes captives of those who were then 
prisoners, and who conducts them as 
a part of his triumphal procession. 
He not only subdues his enemy, but 
he leads his captives in triumph. The 
allusion is to the public triumphs of 
conquerors, especially as celebrated 
among the Romans, in which captives 
were led in chains (Tacitus, Ann. xii. 
38), and to the custom in such tri- 
umphs of distributing presents among 
the soldiers. Compare also Judges v. 
30, where it appears that this was also 
an early custom in other nations. 
— Burder, in Ros. Alt. u. neu. Morgen- 
land, in loco. When Christ ascended 
to heaven, he triumphed over all his 
foes. It was a complete victory over 
the malice of the great enemy of God, 
and over those who had sought his life. 
But he did more. He rescued those 
who were the captives of Satan, and 
led them in triumph. Man was held 
by Satan as a prisoner. His chains 
were around him. Christ rescued the 
captive prisoner, and designed to make 
him a part of his triumphal procession 
into heaven, that thus the victory 
might be complete — triumphing not 
only over the great foe himself, but 
swelling his procession with the at- 
tending hosts of those who had been 
the captives of Satan, now rescued 
and redeemed. If And gave gifts unto 
•men. Such as he specifies in ver. 11. 

9. Now that he ascended. That is, it 
is affirmed in the psalm that he ascend- 
ed — "Thou hast ascended on high." 
This implies that there must have been 
a previous descent; or, as applicable to 
D 



10 He that descended is the same 
also that ascended up far above 
all heavens, that he might 2 fill all 
things.) 

11 And a he gave some, apostles ; 
and some, prophets; and some, 

2 or, fulfil. m a I Cor. 12. 28. 

the Messiah, "it is a tr*uth that he pre- 
viously descended." It is by no means 
certain that Paul meant to say that 
the word "ascended" demonstrated 
that there must have been a previous 
descent ; but he probably means that 
in the case of Christ there was, in fact, 
a descent into the lower parts of the 
earth first. The language here used 
will appropriately express his descent 
to earth. U Into the lower parts of the 
earth. To the lowest state of humili- 
ation. This seems to be the fair mean- 
ing of the words. Heaven stands op- 
posed to earth. One is above; the 
other is beneath. From the one, 
Christ descended to the other; and. 
he came not only to the earth, but he 
stooped to the most humble condition 
of humanity here. See Phil. ii. 6-8. 
Comp. Notes on Isa. xliv. 23. Some 
have understood this of the grave; 
others of the region of departed spir- 
its ; but these interpretations do not 
seem to be necessary. It is the earth 
itself that stands in contrast with the 
heavens ; and the idea is, that the Re- 
deemer descended from his lofty emi- 
nence in heaven, and became a man of 
humble ranfcand condition. Comp. 
Psa. exxxix. 15. 

10. He that descended is the same also 
that ascended. The same Redeemer 
came down from God, and returned to 
him. It was not a different being, but 
the same. If Far above all heavens. See 
Notes on chap. i. 20-23. Comp. Heb. 
vii. 26. He is gone above the visible 
heavens, and lias ascended into the 
highest abodes of bliss. See Notes on 
2 Cor. xii. 2. If That he might Jill all 
things. Marg., fulfil. The meaning 
is, "that he might fill all things by 
his influence, and direct and overrule 
all by his wisdom and power." — Dodd- 
ridge. See Notes on ch. i. 23. 

11. And he gave some, apostles. He 
gave some to be apostles. The object 
here is to show that he has made am- 
ple provision for the extension and 
edification of his Church. On the 
meaning of the word apostles* and on 
their appointment by the Saviour, sec 



74 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



evangelists; and some, pastors and 
teachers : 
12 For the perfecting of the 

Notes on Matthew x. 1. H And some, 
prophets. He appointed some to be 
prophets. See Notes on Rom. xii. 7. 
1 Corinth, xii. 28 ; xiv. 1. «,H And some, 
evangelists. See, Notes on Acts xxi. 8. 
Comp, 2 Tim. iv. 5. The word does 
not elsewhere occur in the New Tes- 
tament. What was the precise office 
of the evangelist in the primitive 
Church it is now impossible to deter- 
mine. He may have been one whose 
principal business was preaching, and 
who was not particularly engaged in 
the government of the Church. The 
word properly means "a messenger 
of good tidings;" and Robinson (Lex.) 
supposes that it denotes a minister of 
the Gospel who was not located in 
any place, but who traveled as a mis- 
sionary to preach the Gospel and to 
found churches. The word is so used 
now by many Christians, but it can 
not be proved that it is so used in the 
New Testament. An explanation of 
the words which here occur may be 
found in Neander on the Primitive 
Church, in the Biblical Repository, 
vol. iv. , p. 258 seq. The office was dis- 
tinct from that of (he pastor, the teach- 
er, and the prophet, and was manifestly 
an office in which preaching was the 
main thing. Tf And some, pastors. Lit- 
erally shepherds, Trot-juti/as. Compare 
Matt. ix. 36; xxv. 32; xx^i. 31. Mark 
vi. 34; xiv. 27. Luke if 8, 15, 18, 20. 
John x. 2, 11, 12, 14, 16, where it is ren- 
dered shepherd and shepherds ; also 
Heb. xiii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 25. In Matt, 
xxvi. 31, Mark xiv. 27, Heb. xiii. 20, and 
1 Pet. ii. 25, it is applied to the Lord 
Jesus as the great shepherd of the flock 
— the Church. It is rendered pastors 
only in the place before us. The word 
is given to ministers of the Gospel 
with obvious propriety and with great 
beauty. They are to exercise the same 
watchfulness and care over the people 
of their charge which a shepherd does 
over his flock. Comp. Notes on John 
xxi. 15, 16. The meaning here is, that 
Christ exercised a special care for his 
Church by appointing pastors who 
would watch over it as a shepherd does 
over his flock. H And teachers. See 
Notes on Rom. xii. 7. 

12. For the perfecting of the saints. On 
the meaning of the word here render- 
ed perfecting, KUTaprtafxvu, see Notes 



saints, for the work of the minis- 
try, for the edifying of the body 
of Christ : 

on 2 Cor. xiii. 9. It properly refers to 
the restoring of any thing to its place; 
then putting in order, making com- 
plete, etc. Here it means that these 
various officers were appointed in or- 
der that every thing in the church 
might be well arranged, or put into 
its proper place, or that the church 
might be complete. The purpose for 
which this is done is that Christians 
may hav^e every possible advantage for 
becoming complete in love, andkno wl- 
edge, and sanctification. H For the work 
of the ministry. All these are engaged 
in the work of the ministry, though in 
different departments. Together they 
constituted the ministry by which 
Christ meant to establish and edify 
the Church. All these offices had an 
existence at that time, and all were 
proper, though it is clear that they 
were not all designed to be permanent. 
The apostolic office was of course to 
cease with the death of those who were 
the witnesses of the life and doctrines 
of Jesus (comp. Notes on 1 Cor. ix. 1) ; 
the office of prophets was to cease with 
the cessation of inspiration ; and in 
like manner it is possible that the of- 
fice of teacher or evangelist might be 
suspended, as circumstances might de- 
mand. But is it not clear from this 
that Christ did not appoint merely 
three orders of clergy to be permanent 
in the Church? Here are five orders 
enumerated, and in 1 Cor. xii. 28, there 
are eight mentioned ; and how can it 
be demonstrated that the Saviour in- 
tended that there should be three only, 
and that they should be permanent ? 
The presumption is rather that he 
meant that there should be but one 
permanent order of ministers, though 
the departments of their labor might 
be varied according to circumstances, 
and though there might be helpers, as 
occasion should demand. In found- 
ing churches among the heathen, and 
in instructing and governing them, 
there is need of reviving nearly all the 
offices of teacher, helper, evangelist, 
etc, which Paul has enumerated as 
actually existing in his time. ^ For 
the edifying. For building it up ; that 
is, in the knowledge of the truth, and 
in piety. See Notes on Rom. xiv. 19. 
U The body of Christ. The Church. 
See Notes on ch. i. 23. 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



75 



13 Till we all come 1 in the unity 
a of the faith, and of the knowledge 
of the Son of God, unto a perfect 6 

1 or, into. a Col. 2. 2. b\ Cor. 14. 20. 

~ia Till we all come. Till all Chris- 
tians arrive at a state of complete uni- 
ty and entire perfection. ^ In the uni- 
ty of the faith. Marg.,iwto. The mean- 
ing is, till we all hold the same truths, 
and have the same confidence in the 
Son of God. See Notes on John xvii. 
21-23. And of the knowledge of the 
Son of God. That they might attain 
to the same practical acquaintance 
with the Son of God, and might thus 
come to the maturity of Christian pie- 
ty. See Notes on ch. iii. 19. ^ Unto 
a perfect man. Unto a complete man. 
This figure is obvious. The apostle 
compares their condition then to a 
state of childhood. The perfect man 
here refers to the man grown up — the 
man of mature life. He says that 
Christ had appointed pastors and 
teachers that the infant Church might 
be conducted to maturity, or become 
strong — like a man. He does not re- 
fer to the doctrine of sinless perfection, 
but to the state of manhood as com- 
pared with that of childhood — a state, 
of strength, vigor, wisdom, when the 
full growth should be attained. See 
1 Cor. xiv. 20. 1[ Unto the measure of 
the stature. Marg., or age. The word 
stature expresses the idea. It refers 
to the growth of a man. The stature 
to be attained was that of Christ. He 
was the standard — not in size, not in 
age, but in moral character. The meas- 
ure to be reached was Christ; or we 
are to grow till we become like him. 
\ Of the fullness of Christ. See Notes 
on ch. i. 23. The phrase "the meas- 
ure of the fullness" means probably 
the u full measure 1 ' — by a form of con- 
struction that is common in the He- 
brew writings, where two nouns are 
so used that one is to be rendered as 
an adjective — as trees of greatness — 
meaning great trees. Here it means 
that they should so advance in piety 
and knowledge as to become wholly 
like him. 

14. That we henceforth be no more 
children. In some respects Christians 
are to be like children. They are to 
be docile, gentle, mild, and free from 
ambition, pride, and haughtiness. See 
Notes on Matt, xviii. 2, 3. But chil- 
dren have other characteristics besides 
simplicity and docility. They are .oft- 



man, unto the measure of the 2 stat- 
ure of the fulness of Christ : 
14 That we henceforth be no more 

2 or, age. 

en changeable (Matt. xi. 17) ; they are 
credulous, and are influenced easily by 

i others, and led astray. In these re- 

; spects, Paul exhorts the Ephesians to 
be no longer children, but urges them 
to put on the characteristics of man- 
hood ; and especially to put on the 
firmness in religious opinion which 

\ became maturity of life. 1j Tossed to 
and fro, kXvSoovl^o/ulevol. This word is 
taken from waves or billows that are 
constantly tossed about — in all ages 
an image of instability of character 
and purpose. T[ And carried about with 
every wind of doctrine. With no firm- 
ness; no settled course; no helm. 
The idea is that of a vessel on the rest- 
less ocean, that is tossed about with 
every varying wind, and that has no 
settled line of sailing. So many per- 
sons are in regard to religious doc- 
trines. The} 7 have no fixed views and 
principles. They hold no doctrines 
that are settled in their minds by care- 
ful and patient examination, and the 
consequence is, that they yield to ev- 
ery new opinion, and submit to the 
guidance of every new teacher. The 
doctrine taught here is that we should 
have settled religious opinions. We 
should carefully examine what is truth, 
and, having found it, should adhere to 

*it, and not yield on the coming of ev- 
ery new teacher. We should not, in- 
deed, close our minds against convic- 
tion. We should be open to argument, 
and be willing to follow the truth wher- 
ever it will lead us. But this state of 
mind is not inconsistent with having 
settled opinions, and with being firm 
in holding them until we are con- 
vinced that we are wrong. No man 
can be useful who has not settled prin- 
ciples. No one who has not such prin- 
ciples can inspire confidence or be hap- 
py, and the first aim of every young 
convert should be to acquire settled 
views of the truth, and to become 
firmly grounded in the doctrines of the 
Gospel." H By the sleight of men. The 
cunning, skill, trickery of men. The 
word used here, Kvftsia, is from a word 
(ku(3o<$) meaning a cube, a die, and prop- 
erly means a game at dice. Hence it 
means game, gambling ; and then any 
thing that turns out by mere chance 

| or haphazard, as a game at dice docs. 



76 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



children, tossed to and fro, and 
carried a about with every wind of 
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and 
cunning craftiness, whereby they 
lie in wait to deceive ; 

a James 1.6. 1 or, being sincere. 



It may possibly also denote the trick 
or fraud that is sometimes used in such 
games ; but it seems rather to denote 
a man's forming his religious opinions 
by the throw of a die, or, in other words, 
it describes a man whose opinions seem 
to be the result of mere chance. Any 
thing like casting a die, or like open- 
ing the Bible at random to determine 
a point of duty or doctrine, may come 
under the description of the apostle 
here, and would all be opposed to the 
true mode, that b} T calm examination 
of the Bible and by prayer. A man 
who forms his religious principles by 
chance can unform them in the same 
way ; and he who has determined his 
faith by one cast of the die will be like- 
ly to throw them into another form 
by another. The phrase " the sleight 
of men," therefore, I would render 
"by the mere chance of men, or as you 
may happen to find men, one holding 
this opinion, and the next that, and 
allowing yourself to be influenced by 
them without any settled principles." 
^Cunning craftiness. D eceit, trick, 
art. See 2 Cor. xii. 16." Luke xx. 
23. 1 Cor. iii. 19. 2 Cor. iv. 2 ; xi. 3. 
U Whereby they lie in loait to deceive.* 
Literally, "Unto the method of de- 
ceit;" that is, in the usual way of de- 
ceit. Doddridge, "In every method 
of deceit." This is the true idea. The 
meaning is, that men would use plau- 
sible pretences, and would, if possible, 
deceive the professed friends of Christ. 
Against such we should be on our 
guard ; and not by their arts should 
our opinions be formed, but by the 
word of God. 

15. But speaking the truth in love. 
Marg., being sincere. The translation 
in the text is correct — literally, truth- 
ing in low — (xXiiSevovtes. Two things 
are here to be noted. (1.) The truth 
is to be spoken — the simple, unvarnish- 
ed truth. This is the way to avoid 
error, and this is the way to preserve 
others from error. In opposition to 
all trick, and art, and cunning, and 
fraud, and deception, Christians are 
to speak the simple truth, and noth- 
ing but the truth. Every statement 



15 But, 1 speaking the truth h in 
love, may grow up into him in all 
things, which is the head, c even 
Christ : 

16 From whom d the whole body 

6 2 Cor. 4. 2. c Col. 1. 18, 19. d Jno. 15. 5. 

which they make should be unvarnish- 
ed truth; every promise which they 
make should be true ; every represen- 
tation which they make of the senti- 
ments of others should be simple truth . 
Truth is the representation of things as 
they are ; and there is no virtue that 
is more valuable in a Christian than 
the love of truth. (2.) The second 
thing is, that the truth should be spok- 
en in love. There are other ways of 
speaking truth. It is sometimes spok- 
en in a harsh, crabbed, sour manner, 
which does nothing but disgust and 
offend. When we state truth to oth- 
ers, it should be with love to their 
souls, and with a sincere desire to do 
them good. When we admonish a 
brother of his faults, it should not be 
in a harsh and unfeeling manner, but 
in love. "When a minister pronounces 
the awful truth of God about deprav- 
ity, death, the judgment, and future 
woe, it should be in love. It should 
not be done in a harsh and repulsive 
manner; it should not be done as if 
he rejoiced that men were in danger 
of hell, or as* if he would like to pass 
the final sentence ; it should not be 
with "indifference, or in a tone of su- 
periority. And in like manner, if we 
go to convince one who is in error, we 
should approach him in love. We 
should not dogmatize, or denounce, 
or deal 'out anathemas. Such things 
only repel. Me has done about half his 
work in convincing another of error 
who has first convinced him that he loves 
him; and if he does not do that, he 
may argue to the hour of his death and 
make no progress in convincing him. 
H May grow up into him. Into Christ ; 
that is, to the stature of a complete 
man in him. If Which is the head, See 
Notes on ch. i. 22. 1 Cor. xi. 3. 

16. From luhom the whole body. The 
Church, compared with the human 
body. The idea is, that as the head in 
the human frame conveys vital influ- 
ences, vigor, motion, etc. , to every part 
of the body, so Christ is the source of 
life, and vigor, and energy, and increase 
to the Church. The sense is, "The 
human body is admirably arranged for 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



77 



growth and vigor. Every member 
and joint contributes to its healthful 
and harmonious action. One part 
lends vigor and beauty to another, so 
that the whole is finely proportioned 
and admirably sustained. All depend 
on the head with reference to the most 
important functions of life, and all de- 
rive their vigor from that. So it is in 
the Church. It is as well arranged for 
growth and vigor as the body is. It 
is as appropriately organized in its va- 
rious members as the body is. Every 
thing is designed to be in its proper 
place, and nothing, by the divine ar- 
rangement, is wanting in its organiza- 
tion to its perfection. Its officers and 
its members are, in their places, what 
the various parts of the body are with 
reference to the human frame. The 
Church depends on Christ, as the head, 
to sustain, invigorate, and guide it, as 
the body is dependent on the head." 
See this figure carried out to greater 
length in 1 Cor. xii. 12-26. Tf Fitly join- 
ed together. The body, whose mem- 
bers are properly united so as to pro- 
duce the most beauty and vigor. Each 
member is in the best place, and is 
properly united to the other members. 
Let any one read Paley's Natural The- 
ology, or any work on anatomy, and 
he will find innumerable instances of 
the truth of this remark ; not only in 
the proper adjustment and placing of 
each one of the members, but in the 
manner in which it is united to the 
other parts of the body. The foot, for 
instance, is in its proper place. It 
should not be where the head or the 
hand is. The eye is in its proper place. 
It should not be in the knee or the 
heel. The mouth, the* tongue, the 
teeth, the lungs, the heart, are in their 
proper places. No other places would 
answer the purpose so well. The brain 
is in its proper place. Any where else 
in the body it would be subject to com- 
pressions and injuries which would 
soon destroy life. And these parts are 
as admirably united to the other parts 
of the body as they are admirably lo- 
cated. Let any one examine, for in- 
stance, the tendons, the nerves, the 
muscles, and the bones by which the 
foot is secured to the body, and by 
which easy and graceful motion is ob- 
tained, and he will be satisfied of the 
wisdom by which the body is "joined 
together." How far the knowledge of 
the apostle extended on this point we 
have not the means of ascertaining, 



! but all the investigations of anatomists 
I only serve to give increased beauty 
| and force to the general terms which 
I he uses here. All that he says here 
of the human frame is strictly accurate, 
and is such language as may be used 
! by an anatomist now. The word which 
is here used (avucip/ixoXoyiu)) means 
properly to sew together; to fit to- 
i gether; to unite; to make one. It is 
' applied often to musicians, who pro- 
i duce harmony of various parts of mu- 
sic. — Fassow. The idea of harmony, 
or appropriate union, is that which is 
expressed by the word. 1 And com- 
pacted — avjULpLfia^o/uLfivov. Tindal ren- 
ders this, "knit together in every 
joint." The word properly means to 
make to come together-, to join or knit 
together. It means here that the dif- 
ferent parts of the body are united and 
sustained in this manner, f By that 
which every joint supplieth. Literally, 
"through every joint of supply ;" that 
is, which affords or ministers mutual 
aid. The word joint here — a<pij (from 
airi-to, to Jit) — means any thing which 
binds, fastens, secures, and does not re- 
fer to the joint in the sense in which 
we commonly use it, as denoting the 
articulation of the limbs, or the join- 
ing of two or more bones, but rather 
that which unites or fastens together 
the different parts of the frame— the 
blood-vessels, conjs, tendons, and mus- 
cles. The meaning is, that every ar- 
rangement of this kind which connects 
one part of the body with another minis- 
ters nourishment, and that thus the 
body is sustained. One part is de- 
pendent on another ; one part derives 
nourishment from another, and thus 
all become mutually useful as contrib- 
uting to the support and harmony of 
the whole. Thus it furnishes an illus- 
tration of the connection in the mem- 
bers of the Church, and of the aid 
which one can render to another. 
IT According to the effectual working. G r. , 
"According to the energy in the meas- 
ure of each" one part." Tindal, " Ac- 
cording to the operation as every part 
has its measure." The meaning is, 
that each part contributes to the pro- 
duction of the whole result, or labors 
for this. This is in proportion to the 
"measure" of each part; that i-, in 
proportion to its power. Eve ry part 
labors to produce the great result. 
No one is idle; none is useless; but 
none are overtaxed or overworked. 
The support demanded and furnished 



78 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



fitly joined together, and compact- 
ed by that which every joint sup- 
plieth, according to the effectual 
working in the measure of every 



'part, maketh increase of the body 
unto the edifying of itself in love. 

17 This I say, therefore, and tes- 
tify in the Lord, that ye henceforth 



by every part is in exact proportion 
to its strength. This is a beautiful ac- 
count of the anatomy of the human 
frame. (1.) Nothing is useless. Ev- 
ery part contributes" to the general re- 
sult — the health, and beauty, and vigor 
of the system. Not a muscle is use- 
less ; not a nerve, not an artery, not a 
vein.^ All are employed, and all have 
an important place, and all contribute 
something to the health and beauty of 
the whole. So numerous are the 
blood-vessels that you can not perfo- 
rate the skin any where without pierc- 
ing one ; so numerous are the pores 
of the skin that a grain of sand will 
cover thousands of them ; so minute 
the ramifications of.the nerves that, 
wherever the point of a needle pene- 
trates, we feel it; and so numerous the 
absorbents, that millions of them are 
employed in taking up the chyme of 
the food, and conveying it to the veins. 
And yet all are employed — all are use- 
ful — all minister life and strength to 
the whole. (2.) None are overtaxed. 
They all work according to the "meas- 
ure" of their strength. Nothing is 
required of the minutest nerve or 
blood-vessel which it is not fitted to 
perform ; and it will work on for years 
without exhaustion or decay. So of 
the Church. There is no member so 
obscure and feeble that he may not 
contribute something to the welfare 
of the whole; and no one is required 
to labor beyond his strength in order 
to secure the great object. Each one 
in hisplace, and if he labors as he should 
there, he will contribute to the gener- 
al strength and welfare; out of Ms place 
— like nerves and arteries out of their 
place, and crossing and recrossing oth- 
ers — he will only embarrass the whole, 
and disarrange the harmony of the sys- 
tem. H Maketh increase of the body. 
The body grows in this manner. H Unto 
the edifying of itself. To building itself 
up — that is, it grows up to a complete 
stature. ^In "love. I n m u t u a 1 har- 
mony. This refers to the body. The 
meaning is, that it seems to be made 
on the principle of love. There is no 
jar, no collision, no interference of one 
part with another. A great number 
of parts, composed of different sub- 



stances, and with different functions 
— bones, and nerves, and muscles, and 
blood-vessels — are united in one, and 
live together without collision ; and 
so it should be in the Church. Learn 
hence, (1.) That no member of the 
Church need be useless any more than 
a minute nerve or blood-vessel in the 
body need be useless. No matter how 
obscure the individual may be, he may 
contribute to the harmony and vigor 
of the whole. (2.) Every member of 
the Church should contribute some- 
thing to the prosperity of the whole. 
He should no more be idle and unem- 
ployed than a nerve or a blood-vessel 
should be in the human system. What 
would be the effect if the minutest 
nerves and arteries of the body should 
refuse to perform their office? Lan- 
guor, disease, and death. So it is in 
the Church. The obscurest member 
may do something to destroy the health- 
ful action of the Church, and to make 
its piety languish and die. (3.) There 
should be union in the Church. It is 
made up of materials which differ much 
from each other, as the body is made 
up of bones, and nerves, and muscles. 
Yet in the body these are united; and 
so it should be in the Church. There 
need be no more jarring in the Church 
than in the body; and a jar in the 
Church produces the same effect as 
would be produced in the body if the 
nerves and- muscles should resist the 
action of each other, or as if one should 
be out of its place, and impede the 
healthful functions of the other. (4.) 
Every member in the Church should 
keep his place, just as every bone, and 
nerve, and muscle in the human frame 
should. Every member of the body 
should be in its right position; the 
heart, the lungs, the eye, the tongue, 
should occupy their right place; and 
every nerve in the system should be 
laid down just where it is designed to 
be. If so, all is well. If not so, all is 
deformity or disorder— just as it is 
often in the Church. 

17. This I say, therefore, and testify iff 
the Lord. I bear witness in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, or ministering by 
his authority. The object of this is to 
exhort them to walk worthy of their 



A.D. 64.J 



CHAPTER IV. 



79 



walk not as other Gentiles wgrtk, 
in the vanity of their mind. 



18 Having the understanding" 
darkened, being alienated from 

a Acts 26. 18. 



high calling, and to adorn the doctrine 
of the Saviour. With this view, he 
reminds them of what they were be- 
fore they were converted, and of the 
manner in which the heathen around 
them lived. H That ye henceforth walk 
not. That you do not henceforth live 
— the Christian life being often in the 
Scriptures compared to a journey. 
T[ As other Gentiles walk. This shows 
that probably the mass of converts in 
the Church at Ephesus were from 
among the heathen, and Paul regard- 
ed them as Gentile converts. Or it 
may be that he here addressed himself 
more particularly to that portion of 
the Church, as especially needing his 
admonition and care. Uln the vanity 
of their mind. In the way of folly, or 
in mental folly. What he means by 
this he specifies in the following verses. 
The word "vanity" in the Scriptures 
means more than" mere emptiness. It 
denotes moral wrong, being applied 
usually to those who worshipped vain 
idols, and then those who were alien- 
ated from the true God. 

18. Having the understanding darken- 
ed. That is, because they were alien- 
ated from the true God, and particu- 
larly because of " the blindness of their 
hearts." The apostle does not say 
that this was a "judicial" darkening 
of the understanding, or that they 
might not have perceived the truth, 
or that they had no ability to under- 
stand it. He speaks of a simple and 
well-known fact — a fact that is seen 
now as well as then — that the under- 
standing becomes darkened by indul- 
gence in sin. A man who is intem- 
perate has no just views of the govern- 
ment of the appetites. A man who is 
unchaste has no perception of the love- 
liness of purity. A man who is avari- 
cious or covetouS has no just views 
of the beauty of benevolence. A man 
who indulges in low vices will weaken 
all his mental powers, and render him- 
self incapable of intellectual effort. 
Indulgence in vice destroys the intel- 
lect as well as the body, and unfits a 
man to appreciate the truth of a prop- 
osition in morals or in mathematics, 
or the beauty of a poem, as well as the 
truth and beauty of religion. Noth- 
ing is more obvious than that indul- 
gence in sin weakens the mental pow- 



J ers, and renders them unfit for high 
I intellectual effort. This is seen all 
| over the heathen world now — in the 
stolid, stupid mind; the perverted 
moral sense; the incapacity for pro- 
; found or protracted mental Effort, as 
! really as it was among the heathens 
' to whom Paul preached. The mission- 
ary who goes among the heathen has 
almost to create an intellect as w r ell as 
a conscience before the Gospel will make 
an impression. It is seen, too, in all 
the intellect of the bar, the senate, the 
pulpit, and the medical profession, 
that is ruined by intemperance, and in 
the intellect of multitudes of young 
men wasted by licentiousness and 
drunkenness. I know that under the 
influence of ambition and stimulating 
drinks the intellect may seem to put 
forth unnatural efforts, and to glow 
with an intensity now r here else seen, 
but it soon burns out, and the wastes 
of such an intellect become soon like 
the hardened scoriae of the volcano, or 
the cinders of the overheated furnace. 
Learn hence, that if a man wishes to 
be blessed with a clear understanding, 
he should be a good man. He who 
wishes a mind well balanced and clear 
should fear and love God; and had 
Christianity done no other good on 
earth than to elevate the intellect of 
mankind, it would have been the rich- 
est blessing which has ever been vouch- 
safed to the race. It follows, too, that 
^s man has debased his tinder standing 
my sin, it is needful to make an exer- 
tion to elevate it again, and hence a 
large part of the efforts to save men 
must consist in patient instruction. 
Hence the necessity of schools at mis- 
sionary stations. If Being alienated. 
See Notes on ch. ii. J2. H From the life 
of God. From a life like that of God, 
or a life of which he is the aource and 
author. The meaning is, that they 
lived a life which was unlike God, or 
which he could not approve. Of the 
truth of this in regard to the heathen 
every where there can be no doubt. 
See Notes on Rom. i. f Through the 
ignorance that is in them. The igno- 
rance of the true God, and of w ha t 
constitutes virtue. Comp. Notes on 
Pvom. i. 20-23. ^Because of thi blind- 
ness of their ?icarts. Marg. , hardm 88. 
Hardness is a better word. It is a bet- 



80 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



the life of God through the igno- 
rance that is in them, because of 
the 1 blindness of their heart ; 

19 Who being past feeling, have 
a given themselves over unto las- 
civiousness, to work all unclean- 
ness with greediness. 



1 or, hardiness. 



a Rom. 1. 24, 26. 



2ff But ye have not so learned 
Christ ; 

21 If so be that ye have heard 
him, and have been taught by him, 
as the truth is in Jesus ; 

22 That ye put 5 off concerning 
the former conversation the old c 



ter translation of the Greek, and it bet- 
ter accords with the design of the 
apostle. Here the reason is stated 
why they lived and acted as they did, 
and why the understanding was blind- 
ed. It is not that God has enfeebled 
the human intellect by a judicial sen- 
tence on account of the sin of Adam, 
and made it incapable of perceiving 
the truth. It is not that there is any 
deficiency or incapacity of natural 
powers. It is not that the truths es- 
sential to salvation are so exalted that 
man has no natural ability to under- 
stand them, for they may be as well 
understood as any other truths. See 
Notes on 1 Cor. i. 14. The simple rea- 
son is "the hardness of the heart." 
That is the solution given by an in- 
spired apostle, and that is enough. A 
man who has a blind and hard heart 
sees no beauty in truth ; feels not its 
force ; is insensible to all its appeals. 
Learn, then , (1. ) That men are to blame 
for the blindness of their understand- 
ing. Whatever proceeds from a wick- 
ed heart they are responsible for; but 
for mere inferiority of intellect they 
would not be to blame. (2.) They are 
under obligation to repent and love 
God. If it was required of them tog[ 
enlarge their intellects, or create for^ 
themselves additional faculties of 
mind, they could not be bound to do 
it ; but where the whole thing required 
is to have a better heart, they may be 
held responsible. (3.) The way to el- 
evate the understandings of mankind 
is to purifv the heart. The approach 
must be urade through the affections. 
Let men feel right toward God, and 
they will soon think right; let the 
heart be pure, and the understanding 
will be clear. 

19. Who being past feeling. Wholly 
hardened in sin. There is a total want 
of all emotion on moral subjects. This 
is an accurate description of the state 
of a sinner. He has wo feeling, no emo- 
tion. He often gives an intellectual 
assent to the truth, but it is without 
emotion of any kind. The heart is in- 



sensible as the hard rock. ^ Have given 
themselves over. They have done it vol- 
untarily. In Rom. i. 24, it is said that 
" God gave them up." There is no 
inconsistency. Whatever was the 
agency of God in it, they preferred it. 
Compare Notes on Rom. i. 21. % Unto 
lascivious?iess. See Notes on Rom. i. 
21-26. 

20. But ye have not so learned Christ. 
You have been taught a different thing 
by Christ ; you have been taught that 
his religion requires you to abandon 
such a course of life. 

21. If so be that ye have heard him. If 
you have listened attentively to his 
instructions, and learned the true na- 
ture of his religion. There may be a 
slight and delicate doubt implied here 
whether they had attentively listened 
to his instructions. Doddridge, how- 
ever, renders it, "Seeing ye have heard 
him." Compare Notes on chap. iii. 2. 
H And have been taught by him. By his 
Spirit, or by the ministers whom he 
has appointed. ^As+the truth is in Je- 
sus. If you have learned the true na- 
ture of his religion as he himself taught 
it. What the truth was which the 
Lord Jesus taught, or what his princi- 
ples implied, the apostle proceeds to 
state in the following verses. 

22. That ye put off. That you lay 
aside, or renounce. The manner in 
which the apostle states these duties 
renders it not improbable that there 
hadbeen some instruction among them 
of a contrary character, and that it is 
possible there had been teachers there 
who had not enforced, as they should 
have done, the duties of practical re- 
ligion. H Concerning the former con- 
versation. The word conversation here 
means conduct, as it commonly does in 
the Bible. See Notes on 2 Cor. i. 12. 
The meaning here is, "with respect 
to your former conduct or habits of 
life, lay aside all that pertained to a 
corrupt and fallen nature." You are 
not indeed required to lay every thing 
aside that formerly pertained to you. 
Your dress, and manners, and modes 



A.D. 64.] 



OHAPT. 



Eli IV. 



81 



man, which is corrupt according 
to the deceitful lusts ; 

23 And be renewed a in the spir- 
it of your mind ; 

a Rom. 12. 2. b Gal. 6. 15. c. 2. 10. 

of speech and intercourse, may have 
been in many respects correct. But 
every thing that proceeded from sin ; 
every habit, custom, mode of speech 
and of conduct that was the result of 
depravity, is to be laid aside. The pe- 
culiar characteristics of an unconvert- 
ed man you are to put off, and you are 
to assume those which are the proper 
fruits of a renewed heart. H The old 
man. See Notes on Romans vi. 6. 
H Which-is corrupt according to the de- 
ceitful lusts. The meaning is, {1. ) That 
the unrenewed man is not under the 
direction of reason and sound sense, 
but is controlled by his passions and 
desires. The word lusts has a more 
limited signification with us than the 
original word. That word we now 
confine to one class of sensual appe- 
tites, but the original word denotes 
any passion or propensity of the heart. 
It may include avarice, ambition, the 
love of pleasure or of gratification in 
any way ; and the meaning here is, that 
the heart is by nature under the con- 
trol of such desires. (2.) Those pas- 
sions are deceitful. They lead us 
astray. They plunge us into ruin. All 
the passions and pleasures of the world 
are illusive. The} 7 promise more than 
they perform, and they leave their 
deluded votaries to disappointment 
and to tears. Nothing is more u de- 
ceitful" than the promised pleasures 
of this world, and all who yield to them 
find at last that they "flatter but to 
betray." 

23. And be renewed. That is, it is nec- 
essary that a man who has been fol- 
lowing these should become a new 
man. See Notes on John iii. 3, seq. 
Compare Notes on 2 Cor. iv. 16. The 
word here used, ay«j/£«w, does not oc- 
cur elsewhere in the New Testament ; 
but it has the same meaning as the 
word used in 2 Cor. iv. 16, and Col. iii. 
10. It means to make new, and is de- 
scriptive of the work of regeneration. 
This was addressed to the Church, and 
to those whom Paul regarded as Chris- 
tians; and we may learn from this, 
(1. ) That it is necessary that man should 
be renewed in order to be saved. (2.) 
That it is proper to exhort Christians 
to be renewed. They need renovated 
v D 2 



24 And that ye put on the new 
^nan, which after God is created 6 
in righteousness and 1 true holi- 
ness. 

1 or, holiness of truth. Jno. 17. 17. 

strength every day. (3.) That it is a 
matter of obligation to be renewed. 
Men are bound thus to be renovated ; 
and (4.) that they have sufficient nat- 
ural ability to change from the condi- 
tion of the old to that of the new man, 
or they could not be exhorted to it. 
\ In Vie spirit of your mind. In your 
temper; your heart; your nature. 

24. And that ye put on the new man. 
The new man refers to the renovated 
nature. This is called, in other places, 
the "new creature, or the new crea- 
tion" (see Notes on 2 Cor. v. 17), and 
refers to the condition after the heart 
is changed. The change is so great 
that there is no impropriety in speak- 
ing of one who has experienced it as 
"a new man." He has new feelings, 
new principles, and new desires. He 
has laid aside his old principles and 
practices, and in every thing that per- 
tains to moral character he is new. 
His body is indeed the same; the in- 
tellectual structure of his mind the 
same ; but there has been a change in 
his principles and feelings which make 
him, in all the great purposes of life, 
a new being. Learn hence that regen- 
eration is not a trifling change. It is 
not a mere change of relations or of 
the outward condition. It is not mere- 
ly being brought from the world into 
t h e C h u r ch , an d b e in g bap t ize d , th o ugh 
by the most holy hands ; it is much 
more. None of these things would 
make proper the declaration, "he is a 
new man." Regeneration by the Spir- 
it of God does, if After God—Kwra Qsdv. 
In respect to God. The idea is, evi- 
dently, that man is so renewed as to 
become like God, or the divine image 
is restored to the soul. In the paral- 
lel passage in Colossians (iii. 9) the 
idea is expressed more fully, " renew- 
ed in knowledge after the linage of him 
that created him." Man, by regener- 
ation, is restored to the lost image of 
God. Comp. Gen. i. 26. f is created. 
A word that is often used to denote 
the new birth, from its strong resem- 
blance to the first act of creation. See 
it explained in the Notes on 2 Cor. v. 
17. ^ In righteousness. That is, the 
renewed man is made to resemble God 
in righteousness. This proves that 



82 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



25 Wherefore putting away lying, j neighbour : for we b are members 
speak every man truth a with hi^l one of another. 



- man, when lie was made, was righteous, 
or that righteousness constituted a 
part of "the image of God" in which 
he was created. The object of the 
work of redemption is to restore to 
man that lost image, or to bring him 
back to the condition in which he was 
before he fell. ^ And true holiness. 
Marg. as in Greek, holiness of truth — 
standing in contrast with "lusts of de- 
ceit' ' ( Q-reek) in ver. 22. Holiness prop- 
erly refers to purity toward God, and 
righteousness to integrity toward men ; 
but it is not certain that this distinc- 
tion is observed here. The general 
idea is, that the renovated man is made 
an upright and a pious man, and that, 
therefore, he should avoid the vices 
which are practiced by the heathen, 
and which the apostle proceeds to 
specify. This phrase also proves that, 
when man was created, he was a holy 
being. 

25. Wherefore putting away lying. It 
may seem strange that the apostle 
should seriously exhort Christians to 
put away lying, implying that they 
were in the habit of indulging in false- 
hood. But we are to remember (1.) 
that lying is the common vice of the 
heathen world. Among the ancient 
heathens as among the moderns, it 
was almost universally practiced. It 
has been remarked by a distinguished 
jurist who had spent much time in In- 
dia that he would not believe a Hin- 
doo on his oath. The same testimony 
is borne by almost all the missionaries 
of the character of heathens every 
where. No confidence can be placed 
in their statements ; and, where there 
is the slightest temptation to false- 
hood, they practice it without remo rse. 
(2.) The Ephesians had been recently 
converted, and were, to a great extent, 
ignorant of the requirements of the 
Gospel. A conscience has to be crea- 
ted when heathens are converted, and 
it is long before they see the evils of 
many things which appear to us to be 
palpably wrong. (3.) The effects of 
former habits often abide long after a 
man is converted. He who has been 
in the habit of profane swearing finds 
it difficult to avoid it; and he who 
lias been all his life practicing decep- 
tion, will find himself tempted to prac- 
tice it still. It was for reasons such 



as these, probably, that the apostle ex- 
horted the Ephesians to put away ly- 
ing, and to speak the truth only. "Nor 
is the exhortation now inappropriate 
to Christians; and there are many 
classes to whom it would be proper, 
such as the following: (1.) He who is 
in the habit of concealing the defects 
of an article in trade, or of commend- 
ing it for more than its real value— let 
him put away lying. (2.) He or she 
who instructs a servant to say that 
they are not at home when they are 
at home, or that they are sick when 
they are not sick, or that they are en- 
gaged when they are not engaged — let 
them put away lying. (3.) He that is 
in the habit of giving a coloring to his 
narratives ; of convening a false im- 
pression by the introduction or the 
suppression of circumstances that are 
important to the right understanding 
of an account — let him put away lying. 
(4.) He that is at no pains to ascertain 
the exact truth in regard to any facts 
that may affect his neighbor; that 
catches up flying rumors without in- 
vestigating them, and that circulates 
them as undoubted truth, though they 
may seriously affect the character and 
peace of another — let him put away ly- 
ing. (5.) He that is in the habit of 
making promises only to disregard 
them — let him put away lying. The 
community is full of falsehoods of that 
kind, and they are not all confined to 
the people of the world. Nothing is 
more important in a community than 
simple truth, and yet it is to be feared 
that nothing is more habitually disre- 
garded. No professing Christian can 
I do any good who has not an unim- 
peachable character for integrity and 
I veracity; and yet how few can lay their 
! hand on their breast and say before 
! God that they in all cases speak the 
; simple and unvarnished truth. ^For 
j we are members one of another. We be- 
j long to one body — the Church— which 
is the body of Christ. See Notes on 
! Rom. v. 12. The idea is, that falsehood 
tends to loosen the bonds of brother- 
hood. In the human body harmony is 
I observed. The eye never deceives the 
' hand, nor the hand the foot, nor the 
I heart the lungs. The whole move 
j harmoniously as if the one could put 
the utmost confidence in the other— 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



83 



26 Be ye angry and sin not ; let 
a not the sun go down upon your 
wrath : 



27 Neither b give place to the 
devil. 

28 Let him that stole steal no 

b James 4. 7. 



and falsehood in the Church is as ruin- 
ous to its interests as it would be to 
the body if one member was perpetu- 
ally practicing a deception on another. 

26. Be ye angry and sin not. it has 
been remarked that the direction here 
is conformable to the usage of the 
Pythagoreans, who were bound, when 
there were any differences among them, 
to furnish some token of reconciliation 
before the sun set. — Burder, in Ros. 
Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loco. It is 
implied here (1.) that there may be an- 
ger without sin ; and (2. ) that there is 
special danger in all cases where there 
is anger that it will be accompanied 
with sin. Anger is a passion too com- 
mon to need any description. It is an 
excitement or agitation of mind of 
more or less violence, produced by the 
reception of a real or supposed injury, 
and attended commonly with a desire 
or purpose of revenge. The desire of 
revenge, however, is not essential to 
the existence of the passion, though 
it is probably always attended with a 
disposition to express displeasure, to 
chide, rebuke, or punish. Compare 
Mark iii. 5. To a great extent the 
sudden excitement on the reception 
of an injury is involuntary, and conse- 
quently innocent. Anger is excited 
when a horse kicks us; when a ser- 
pent hisses; when we dash our foot 
against a stone; and so when a man 
raises his hand to strike us. The ob- 
ject, or final cause of implanting this 
passion in the mind of man is to rouse 
him to an immediate defence of him- 
self when suddenly attacked, and be- 
fore his reason would have time to 
suggest the proper means of defence. 
It prompts at once to self-protection ; 
and when that is done, its proper of- 
fice ceases. If persevered in, it be- 
comes sinful malignit}' or revenge- 
always wrong. Anger may be excited 
against a thing as well as a person ; as 
well against an act as a man. We are 
suddenly excited by a wrong thing 
without any malignancy against the 
man; we may wish to rebuke or chide 
that without injuring him. Anger is 
sinful in the following circumstances: 
(1.) When it is excited without any 
sufficient cause; when we are in no 
danger, and do not need it for a pro- 



tection. We should be safe without 
it. (2. ) When it transcends the cause, 
if any cause really exists. All that is 
beyond the necessity of immediate 
self-protection is apart from its design, 
and is wrong. +3.) When it is against 
theperson rather than the offence. The 
object is not to injure another; it is 
to protect ourselves. (4.) When it is 
attended with the desire of revenge. 
That is always wrong. Rom. xii. 17, 
19. (5.) When it is cherished, and 
heightened by reflection. And (6.) 
When there is an unforgiving spirit ; 
a determination to exact the utmost 
satisfaction for the injury which has 
been doue. If men were perfectly 
holy, that sudden arousing of the mind 
in danger, or on the reception of an 
injury, which would serve to prompt 
us to save ourselves from danger, 
would exist, and would be an impor- 
tant principle of our nature: as it is 
now, it is violent; excessive; uncon- 
trollable; persevered in— and is almost 
always wrong. If men were holy, this 
excitement of the mind would obey 
the first injunctions of reason, and be 
wholly under its control : as it is now, 
it seldom obeys reason at all, and is 
wholly wrong. Moreover, if all men 
were holy; if there were none disposed 
to do an injury, it would exist only in 
the form of a sudden arousing of the 
mind against immediate danger — 
which would all be right. Now, it is 
excited not only in view of physical 
dangers, but in view of the wrongs 
done by others, and hence it termi- 
nates on the person and not the thing, 
and becomes often wholly evil. ^Let 
not the sun go down. Do not cherish 
anger. Do not sleep upon it. Do not 
harbor a purpose of revenge; do not 
cherish ill will against another. When 
the sun sets on a man's anger, he may be 
sure it is wrong. The meaning of the 
whole of this verse then is, u 7/'you be 
angry, which may be the case, and 
which may be unavoidable, see that 
the sudden excitement does not be- 
come sin. Do not let it overleap its 
proper bounds; do not cherish it ; do 
not let it remain in your bosom even 
to the setting of the sun. Though 
the sun be sinking in the west, let not 
the passion linger in the bosom, but 



84 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



more ; but rather let a him labour, 
working with Ms hands the thing 

a Acts 20. 35. 



which is good, that he may have 
to 1 give to him that needeth. 



1 or, distribute. 



let his last rays find you always peace- 
ful and calm." 

27. Neither give place to the devil. This 
has respect probably to the exhorta- 
tion in the former verse. "Do not 
yield to the suggestions and tempta- 
tions of Satan, who would take every 
opportunity to persuade you to cher- 
ish unkind and angry feelings, and to 
keep up a spirit of resentment among 
brethren." Many of our feelings, 
when we suppose we are merely de- 
fending our rights, and securing what 
is our own, are produced by the temp- 
tations of the devil. The heart is de- 
ceitful, and seldom more deceitful in 
any case than when a man is attempt- 
ing to vindicate himself from injuries 
done to his person and reputation. 
The devil is always busy when we are 
angry, and in some way, if possible, 
will lead us into sin ; and the best way 
to avoid his wiles is to curb the tem- 
per, and restrain even sudden anger. 
No man sins by restraining his anger ; 
no man is certain that he will not who 
indulges it for a moment. 

28. Let him that stole steal no more. 
Theft, like lying, was, and is, almost a 
universal vice among the heathen. 
The practice of pilfering prevails in, 
probably, every pagan community, 
and no property is safe which is not 
guarded, or so locked up as to be in- 
accessible. Hence, as the Christian 
converts at Ephesus had been long ad- 
dicted to it, there was danger that 
they would fall into it again; and 
hence the necessity of special cautions 
on that head. We are not to suppose 
that pilfering was a common vice in 
the Church, but the cautions on this 
point proceed on the principle that, 
where a man has been long in the hab- 
it of a particular sin, he is in great 
danger of falling into it again. Hence 
we caution the man who has been in- 
temperate against the least indulgence 
in intoxicating drinks; we exhort him 
not to touch that which would be so 
strong a temptation to him. The ob- 
ject of the apostle was to show that 
the Gospel requires holy living in all 
its friends, and to entreat Christians 
at Ephesus in a special manner to 
avoid the vices of the surrounding 
heathen. ^ But rather let him labor. 
Let him seek the means of living in 



an honest manner^ by his own indus- 
try, rather than by wronging others. 
H Working with his hands. Pursuing 
some honest employment. Paul was 
not ashamed to labor with "his own 
hanife" (Acts xx. 35); and no man is 
dishonored by labor. God made man 
for toil (Gen. ii. 15), and employment 
is essential to the happiness of the 
race. No man, who is able to support 
himself, has a right to depend on oth- 
j ers. See Notes on Romans xii. 11. 
i That he may have to give to him that 
needeth. Marg., distribute. Not mere- 
ly that he may have the means of sup- 
i port, but that he may have it in his 
power to aid others. The reason and 
| propriety of this is obvious. The hu- 
| man race is one great brotherhood, 
j A considerable part can not labor to 
j support themselves. They are too old 
or too young, or they are crippled, or 
j feeble, or laid on beds of sickness. If 
I others do not divide with them the 
avails of their labors, they will perish. 
We are required to labor in order that 
we may have the privilege of contrib- 
uting to their comfort. Learn from 
this verse, (1.) That every Christian 
should have some calling, business, or 
profession, by which he may support 
himself. The Saviour was a carpen- 
ter ; Paul a tent-maker ; and no man 
is disgraced by being able to build a « 
I house or to construct a tent. (2.) 
j Christianity promotes industry. It is 
rare that an idle man becomes a Chris- 
tian ; but if he does, religion makes 
: him industrious just in proportion as 
I it has influence over his mind. To 
! talk of a lazy Christian is about the 
same as to talk of burning water or 
| freezing fire. (3.) Christians should 
have some usef ul and honest employ- 
I ment. They should work "that which 
I is good." They should not pursue an 
I employment which will necessarily in- 
jure others. No man has a right to 
place a nuisance under the window of 
his neighbor, nor has he any more right 
to pursue an employment that will 
lead his neighbor into sin or ruin him. 
An honest employment benefits every 
body. A good farmer is a benefit to 
his neighborhood and country ; a good 
shoemaker, blacksmith, weaver, cabi- 
net-maker, watchmaker, machinist, is 
a blessing to the community. He in- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



8$ 



29 Let a no corrupt communica- 
tion proceed out of your mouth, 
but that which is good 1 to the use 

a Col. 4. 6. 1 or, to edify profitably. 

jures no one; he benefits all. How 
is it with the distiller, and the vender 
of alcoholie drinks ? He benefits no 
one; he injures every body. Every 
quart of intoxicating drink that is 
taken from his house does evil some- 
where — evil, and only evil, and that 
continually. No one is made better 
or richer ; no one is made more moral 
or indu^rious; no one is helped on 
the way to heaven by it. Thousands 
are helped on the way to hell by it, 
who are already in the path ; and thou- 
sands are induced to walk in the way 
to death who, but for that distillery, 
store, or tavern, might have walked 
in the way to heaven. Is this, then, 
"working that which is good?" 
•Would Paul have done it? Would 
Jesus do it? Strange, that by a pro- 
cessing Christian it was ever done! 
See a striking instance of the way in 
which the Ephesian Christians acted 
when they were first converted, in the 
Acts of the Apostles, chapter xix. 19. 
Comp. Notes on that place. (4.) The 
main business of a Christian is not to 
make money and to become rich. It is 
that he may have the means of bene- 
fiting others. Beyond what he needs 
for himself, his poor, sick, aged, and 
afflicted brother and friend has a claim 
on his earnings — and they should be 
liberally bestowed. (5.) We should 
labor in order that we may have the 
means of doing good to others. It 
should be just as much a matter of 
plan and purpose to do this, as it is to 
labor in order to buy a coat, or to build 
a house, or to Jive comfortably, or to 
have the means of a decent burial. 
Yet how few are those who have any 
such end in view, or who pursue their 
daily toil definitely, that they may have 
something to give away! The world 
will be soon converted when all Chris- 
tians make that the purpose of life. 
See Notes on Rom. xii. 11. 

29. Let no corrupt communication pro- 
ceed. See Notes on 1 Cor. xv. 33. The 
word rendered corrupt (a-airpo^) means 
bad, decayed, rotten, and is applied to 
putrid vegetable or animal substances. 
Then it is applied to a tree that is of 
a useless character, that produces no 
good fruit. Matt. vii. 17. Then it is 
used in a moral sense, as our word 



of edifying, that it may minister 

grace unto the hearers. 

30 And grieve b not the Holy Spir- 
al Isa. 63. 10. 

"corrupt" is, to denote that which is 
depraved, evil, contaminating, and 
may denote here any thing that is ob- 
scene, offensive, or that tends to cor- 
rupt others. The importance of this 
admonition will be appreciated when 
it is remembered (1. ) that such obscene 
and filthy conversation prevailed ev- 
ery Where, and does still among the 
heathen. So general is this, that at 
almost every missionary station it has 
been found that the common conver- 
sation is so corrupt and defiling that 
missionaries have felt it necessary to 
send their children home to be educa- 
ted, in order to secure them from the 
contaminating influence of those 
around them. (2.) Those who have 
had the misfortune to be familiar with 
the common conversation of the low- 
er classes in any community, and es- 
pecially with the conversation of young 
men, will see the importance of this 
admonition. Scarcely any thing can 
be conceived more corrupt or corrupt- 
ing than that which often prevails 
amongyoungmen— evenamongyoung 
men in the academies and colleges of 
this land. (3.) Its importance will be 
seen from the influence of such corrupt 
communications. u The passage of 
an impure thought through the mind 
leaves pollution behind it;" the ex- 
pression of such a thought deepens 
the pollution on the soul, and corrupts 
others. It is like retaining an offen- 
sive carcase above ground, to pollute 
the air, and to diffuse pestilence and 
death, which should at once be buried 
put of sight. A Christian should be 
pure in his conversation. His Mas- 
ter was pure. His God is pure. The 
heaven to which he goes is pure. The 
religion which he professes is pure. 
Never should he indulge himself in 
an obscene allusion ; never should he 
retail anecdotes of an obscene charac- 
ter, or smile when they are retailed by 
others. Never should he indulge in 
a jest having a double meaning; nev- 
er should lie listen to a song of this 
character. If those with whom he as- 
sociates have not sufficient respect for 
themselves and him to abstain from 
such corrupt and corrupting allusions, 
he should at once leave them. y\J>ut (lint 
whidi is good to the use of edifying. 



86 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



it of God, whereby ye are sealed a 
unto the day of redemption. 
31 Let all bitterness, b and wrath, 

ac. 1.13, 14. b Col. 3.8. 

Marg., to edify profitably. Greek, " to 
useful edification;" that is, adapted 
to instruct, counsel, and comfort oth- 
ers ; to promote their intelligence and 
purity. ~ Speech is an invaluable gift; 
a blessing of inestimable worth. We 
may so speak as always to do good to 
others. We may give them some in- 
formation which they have not ; im- 
part some consolation which they 
need; elicit some truth by friendly 
discussion which we did not know be- 
fore, or recall by friendly admouition 
those who are in danger of going 
astray. He who talks for the mere 
sake of talking will say man}' foolish 
things ; he whose great aim in life is 
to benefit others, will not be likely to 
say that which he will have occasion 
to regret. Comp. Matt. xii. 36. Eccl. 
v. 2. Prov. x. 19. James i. 19. 

30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of 
God. This is addressed to Christians, 
and it proves that it is possible for 
them to grieve the Holy Spirit. The 
word here used — Xv7tIlt& — means 
properly to afflict with sorrow; to 
make sad or sorrowful. It is render- 
ed to make sorry, or sorrowful, Matt, 
xiv. 9; xvii. 23; xviii. 31; xix. 22; 
xxvi. 22, 37. Mark xiv. 19. John xvi. 
20. 2 Cor. ii. 2; vi. 10; vii. 8, 9, 11. 
1 Thess. iv. 13. It is rendered grieved, 
Mark x. 22. John xxi. 17. Rom. xiv. 
15. 2 Cor. ii. 4, 5. Eph. iv. 20; and 
once, "in heaviness," 1 Pet. i. 6. The 
verb does not elsewhere occur in the 
New Testament. The common mean- 
ing is, to treat others so as to cause 
grief. We are not to suppose that the 
Holy Spirit literally endures grief or 
pain at the conduct of men. The lan- 
guage is such as is fitted to describe 
what men endure, and is applied to 
him to denote that kind of conduct 
which is fitted to cause grief; and the 
meaning here is, " do not pursue such 
a course as is fitted, in its own nature, 
to pain the benevolent heart of a holy 
being. Do not act towards the Holy 
Spirit in a manner which would pro- 
duce pain in the bosom of a friend 
who loves you." There is a course 
of conduct which will drive that Spir- 
it from the mind as if he were grieved 
and pained, as a course of ingratitude 
and sin pains the heart of an earthly 



and anger, and clamour, and c evil- 
speaking, be put away from you, 
with all malice : 

c Tit. 3. 2. 



friend, and causes him to leave us. If 
asked w T hat that conduct is, we may 
reply, (1.) Open and gross sins. They 
are particularly referred to here ; and 
the meaning of Paul is, that theft, 
falsehood, anger, and kindred vices 
would grieve the Holy Spirit, and 
cause him to depart. (2.) Anger, in 
all its forms. Nothing is more fitted 
to drive away all serious and tender 
impressions from the mind Than the 
indulgence of anger. (3.) Licentious 
thoughts and desires. The Spirit of 
God is pure, and he dwells not in a 
soul that is filled with corrupt imag- 
inings. (4.) Ingratitude. We feel in- 
gratitude more than almost any thing 
else ; and why should we suppose that 
the Holy Spirit would not feel it also ? 
(5.) Neglect. The Spirit of God is 
grieved by that. Often he prompts 
us to pray ; he disposes the mind to 
seriousness, to the perusal of the Bi- 
ble, to tenderness and penitence. We 
neglect those favored moments of our 
piety, and lose those happy seasons 
for becoming like God. (6.) Resist- 
ance. Christians often resist the Holy 
Ghost. He w T ould lead them to be 
dead to the world; yet they drive on 
their plans of gain. He would teach 
them the folly of fashion and vanity ; 
yet they deck themselves in the gay- 
est apparel. He. would keep them 
from the splendid party, the theatre, 
and the ballroom ; yet they go there. 
All that is needful for a Christian to 
do in order to be eminent in piety is 
to yield to the gentle influences w r hich 
would draw him to prayer and to heav- 
en. If Whereby ye are sealed. See Notes 
on 2 Cor. i. 22. ^ Unto the day of re- 
demption. See Notes on ch. i. 14. 

31. Let all bitterness. See Notes on 
ver. 2 of this chapter. *k And wrath. 
The word here does not dhTer essen- 
tially from anger. If Anger. See Notes 
on ver. 26. All cherished, unreasona- 
ble anger. ^And clamor. Noise, dis- 
order, high words, such as men use in 
a brawl, or when they are excited. 
Christians are to be calm and serious. 
Harsh contentions and strifes, hoarse 
brawls and tumults, are to be unknown 
among them. ^And evil-speaking. 
Slander, backbiting, angry expres- 
sions, tale-bearing, reproaches, etc. 



A.D. 64." 



CHAPTER V. 



87 



32 And be ye kind one to anoth- 
er, tender-hearted, forgiving a one 

a Mark 11. 25,26. 



another, even as God, for Christ'* 
sake, hath forgiven you. 



\With all malice. Rather, "with all 
evil" — Kaida. Every kind and sort of 
evilis to be put away, and you are to 
manifest only that which is good. 

32. And be ye kind one to another. Be- 
nignant, mild, courteous, polite — x/ 01 '" 
o-Toi. 1 Pet. iii. 8. Christianity pro- 
duces true courteousness, or polite- 
ness. It does not make one rough, 
crabbed, sour; nor does it dispose its 
followers to violate the proper rules 
of social intercourse. The secret of 
true politeness is benevolence, or a de- 
sire to make others happy ; and as a 
Christian should be the most benevo- 
lent, so he should be the most polite 
of men. There is no religion in a sour, 
misanthropic temper; none in rude- 
ness, stiffness, and repulsiveness; none 
in violating the rules of good-breed- 
ing. There is a hollow-hearted polite- 
ness, indeed, which the Christian is 
not to aim at or copy. His politeness 
is to be based on kindness. Col. iii. 12. 
His courtesy is to be the result of love, 
good will, and a desire of the happi- 
ness of all others ; and this will prompt 
to the kind of conduct that will ren- 
der his intercourse with others agree- 
able and profitable, f Tender-hearted. 
Having a heart disposed to pity and 
compassion, and especially disposed 
to show kindness to the faults of er- 
ring brethren ; for so the connection 
demands. ^Forgiving one another. See 
Notes on Matt. vi. 12. H As God, for 
Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. As 
God, on account of what Christ has 
suffered and done, has pardoned you. 
He has done it, (1. ) freely — without 
merit on our part — when we were con- 
fessedly in the wrong. (2.) Fully ; "he 
has forgiven every offence. (3.) Liber- 
ally ; he has forgiven many offences, 
for our sins have been innumerable. 
This is to be the rule which we are to 
observe in forgiving others. We are 
to do it freely, fully, liberally. The for- 
giveness is to be entire, cordial, con- 
stant. We are not to rake up old of- 
fences, and charge them again upon 
them ; we are to treat them as though 
they had not offended, for so God treats 
us. Learn, (1.) That the forgiveness 
of an offending brother is a duty' which 
we are not at liberty to neglect. (2.) 
The peace and happiness of the Church 
vie pen a* on it. All are liable to offend 



their brethren, as all are liable to of- 
fend God ; all need forgiveness of one 
another, as we all need it of God. (3.) 
There is no danger of carrying it too 
far. Let the "rule be observed — u ^4,s 
God has forgiven you, so 9b you forgive 
others." Let a man recollect his own 
sins and follies ; let him look over his 
life, and see how often he has offend- 
ed God; let him remember that all 
has been forgiven; and then, fresh 
with this feeling, let him go and meet 
an offending brother, and say, "My 
brother, I forgive you. I do it frank- 
ly, fully, wholly. So Christ has for- 
given me ; so I forgive you. The of- 
fence shall be no more remembered. 
It shall not be referred to in our inter- 
course to harrow up your feelings ; it 
shall not diminish my love for you; 
it shall not prevent my uniting with 
you in doing good. Christ treats me, 
a poor sinner, as a friend, and so I will 
tre^tyou." 

CHAPTER V. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter is a continuation of the 
practical exhortations commenced in 
chap. iv. It comprises the following 
points or subjects : 

1. The exhortation to be followers 
of God, and to walk in Jove. Vs. 1, 2. 

2. The duty of avoiding the impure 
practices of the surrounding heathen, 
and of wholly breaking off from the 
vices in which even they themselves 
had indulged before their conversion 
to Christianity. Vs. 3-17. 

3. The apostle cautions them partic- 
ularly against the use of wine, and the 
revelry which attends its use, and ex- 
horts them rather to engage in the ex- 
ercises to which the Holy Spirit would 
prompt them, anckto the services of 
praise and thanksgiving. Vs. 18-20. 

4. He exhorts them to mutual sub- 
jection ; and particularly enjoins on 
wives the duty of being subject to 
their husbands. Vs. 21-24. 

5. The chapter closes with a state- 
ment of the duty of husbands to love 
their wives, illustrated by that which 
Christ showed for the Church. Vs. 
25-33. 

1 . Be ye therefore folio wers of God. 
Gr., "Be imitators — jixifii}TaL — of God." 



88 EPHESIANS. 

CHAPTER V. 

BE ye therefore followers of God, 
as dear children ; 
2 And walk in love, a as Christ 



[A.D. 64. 



a Jno. 13. 34. 



also hath loved us, and hath given 
himself for us, an offering and a 
sacrifice to God for a h sweet-smell- 
ing savour. 

b Lev. 1.9. 



The idea is not that they were to be 
the friends of God, or numbered among 
his followed, but that they were to 
imitate him in the particular thing un- 
der consideration. The word "there- 
fore" — o\)v — connects this with the 
previous chapter, where he had been 
exhorting them to kipdness, and to a 
spirit of forgiveness, and he here en- 
treats them to imitate God, who was 
always kind and ready to forgive. 
Comp. Matt. v. 44-47. As he forgives 
us (ch. iv. 32), we should be ready to 
forgive others ; as he has borne with 
our faults, we should bear with theirs ; 
as he is ever ready to hear our cry 
when we ask for mercy, we should be 
ready to hear others when they desire 
to be forgiven; and as he is never 
weary with doing us good, we should 
never be weary in benefiting them. 
IF As dear children. The meaning is, 
"as those children which are beloved 
follow the example of a father, so we, 
who are beloved of God, should follow 
his example." What a simple rule 
this is ! And how much contention 
and strife would be avoided if it were 
followed! If every Christian who is 
angry, unforgiving, and unkind, would 
just ask himself the question, "How 
does God treat me?" it would save 
all the trouble and heart-burning 
which ever exists in the Church. 

2. And walk in love. That is, let your 
lives be characterized by love; let£hat 
be evinced in all your deportment and 
conversation. See Notes on John xiii. 
34. *ftAs Christ also hath loved us. We 
are to evince the same love for one an- 
other which he has done for us. He 
showed his love bp giving himself to 
die for us, and we should evince simi- 
lar love to one another. 1 John iii. 16. 
^And hath given himself for us. This 
is evidently added by the apostle to 
show what he meant by saying that 
Christ loved us, and what we ought to 
do to evince our love for each other. 
The strength of his love was so great 
that he was willing to give himself up 
to death on our account ; our love for 
our brethren should be such that we 
would be willing to do the same thing 
for them. 1 John iii. 16. ^An offer- 



ing. The word here used— irpoacpopd 
—means properly that which is offered 
to God— in any way, or whatever it 
may be. It is, however, in the Script- 
ures, commonly used to denote an of- 
fering without blood — a thank-offer- 
ing—and thus is distinguished from a 
bloody oblation. The word occurs 
only in Acts xxi. 26 ; xxiv. 17. Rom. 
xv. 16. Eph. v. 2. Heb. x. 5, 8, 10, 14, 
18. It means here that he regarded 
himself as an offering to God. *ftA?M 
a sacrifice— ^fua iav. Christ is here ex- 
pressly called a sacrifice — the usual 
word in the Scriptures to denote a 
proper sacrifice. A sacrifice was an 
offering made to God by killing an an- 
imal and burning it on an altar, de- 
signed to make atonement for sin. It 
always implied the killing of the ani- 
mal as an acknowledgment of the sin- 
ner that Tie deserved to die. It was 
the giving up of life, which was sup- 
posed to reside in the blood (see Notes 
on Rom. iii. 25), and hence it was nec- 
essary that blood should be shed. 
Christ was such a sacrifice; and his 
love was shown in his being willing 
that his blood should be shed to save 
men. ^ For a sweet-smelling savor. See 
Notes on 2 Cor. ii. 15, where the word 
savor is explained. The meaning here 
is, that the offering which Christ made 
of himself to God was like the grate- 
ful and pleasant smell of incense; that 
is, it was acceptable to him. It was 
an exhibition of benevolence with 
which he was pleased, and it gave him 
th% opportunity of evincing his own 
benevolence in the salvation of men. 
The meaning of this in the connection 
here is, that the offering which Christ 
made was one of love. So, says Paul, 
do you love one another. Christ sac- 
rificed himself by love, and that sacri- 
fice was acceptable to God. So do you 
show love one to another. Sacrifice 
every thing which opposes it, and it 
will be acceptable to God. He will 
approve all which is designed to pro- 
mote love, as he approved the sacri- 
fice which was made, under the influ- 
ence of love, by his Son. , 

3. But fornication. A common vice 
among the heathen then as it is now, 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER Y. 



89 



3 But fornication, a and all un- 
cleanness, or covetousness, let it 
not be once named b among you, 
as becometh saints ; 

a 1 Cor. 6. 18. 1 Thess. 4. 3. b c. 5. 12. 



and one into which they were in spe- 
cial danger of falling. See Notes on 
Kom. i. 29. 1 Cor. M. 18. ^And all 
itncleanness. Impurity of life. See 
Notes on Rom. i. 24. Comp. Rom. vi. 
19. Gal. v. 19. Eph. iv. 19. Col. iii. 
5. % Or covetousness. The connection 
in which this word is found is remark- 
able. It is associated with the lowest 
and most debasing vices, and this, as 
well as those vices, was not once to 
be named among them. What was 
Paul's estimate, then, of covetousness? 
He considered it as an odious and 
abominable vice ; a vice to be regard- 
ed in the same light as the most gross 
sin, and as wholly to be abhorred by 
all who bore the Christian name. See 
ver. 5. The covetous man, according 
to Paul, is to be ranked with the sen- 
sual, and with idolaters (ver. 5), and 
with those who are entirely excluded 
from the kingdom of God. Is this the 
estimate in which the vice is held now ? 
Is it the view which professing Chris- 
tians take of it ? Do we not feel that 
there is a great difference between a 
covetous man and a man of impure 
and licentious life? Why is this? Be- 
cause (1.) it is so common; (2.) be- 
cause it is found among those who 
make pretensions to refinement and 
even religion •, (3.) because it is not so 
easy to define what is covetousness as 
it is to define impurity of life ; and (4. ) I 
because the public conscience is sear- 
ed, and the mind blinded to the low 
and groveling character of the sin. 
Yet is not the view of Paul the right 
view? Who is a covetous man? A 
man who, in the pursuit of gold, neg- 
lects his soul, his intellect, and his 
heart ; a man who, in thi£ insatiable 
pursuit, is regardless of justice, truth, 
charity, faith, prayer, peace, comfort, 
usefulness, conscience ; and who shall 
say that there is any vice more debas- 
ing or degrading than one which pro- 
duces such effects? The time may 
come, therefore, when the covetous 
man will be regarded as deserving the 
same rank in the public estimation 
with the most vicious, and when to 
* covet will be considered as much op- 
posed to the spirit of the Gospel as 



4 Neither fll thin ess, nor foolish 
talking, nor jesting, which c are 
not convenient ; but rather giving 
of thanks. 

c Rom. 1.28. 



any of the vices here named. When 
that time shall come, the world's con- 
version will probably be not a distant 
event. H Let it not be once named among 
you. That is, let it not exist ; let there 
be no occasion for mentioning such 
a thing among you ; let it be wholly 
unknown. This can not mean that it 
is wrong to mention these vices for the 
purpose of rebuking them, or caution- 
ing those in danger of committing 
them — for Paul himself in this manner 
mentions them here, and frequently 
elsewhere — but that they should not 
exist among them. If As becometh saints. 
As befits the character of Christians, 
who are regarded as holy. Literally, 
"as becometh holy ones" — dyioL9. 

4. Neither filthiness. That is, obscene, 
or indecent conversation. Literally, 
that which is shameful or deformed — 
ala-xpoTns. The word does not else- 
where occur in the New Testament. 
If Nor foolish talking. This word, /xw- 
poXoyLa, does not occur elsewhere in 
the New Testament. It means that 
kind of talk w T hich is insipid, senseless, 
stupid, foolish ; which is not fitted to 
instruct, edify, profit — the idle chit- 
chat which is so common in the world. 
The meaning is, that Christians should 
aim to have their conversation sensi- 
ble, serious, sincere— remembering the 
words of the Lord Jesus, " that every 
idle word that men shall speak, they 
shall give account thereof in the day 
of judgment." Matt. xii. 36. fiVor 
jesting— eurpaireXia. This word occurs 
also nowhere eke in the New Testa- 
ment. It properly means that which 
is well turned (eO, well, and Tptirw, to 
turn)-, then that which is sportive, re- 
fined, courteous ; then urbanity, hu- 
mor, wit; and then jesting, levity, wh ich 
is evidently the meaning here. The 
apostle would not forbid courteous- 
ness or refinement of manners, and 
the reference, therefore, must be to 
that which is light and trifling in con- 
versation; to that which is known 
among us as jesting. It may be ob- 
served (1.) that courteoumess is not for- 
bidden in the Scriptures, but is posi- 
tively required. 1 Peter iii. 8. 
Cheerfulness is not forbidden; for if 



90 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 04. 



no 



5 For this ye know, that 
whoremonger, nor unclean per 

aHeb. 13.4. Rev. 22. 15. 



son, nor covetous man, who b is an 
idolater, hath any inheritance 

h Col. 3. 5. 



m 



any thing can make cheerful, it is the 
hope of heaven. (3.) Pleasantry can 
not be forbidden. I mean that quiet 
and gentle humor which arises from 
good nature, and which makes one 
good-natured in spite of himself. Such 
are many of the poems of Cowper, and 
many of the Essays of Addison in the 
"Spectator" — a benevolent humor 
which disposes us to smile, but not to 
be malignant; to be good-natured, but 
not to indulge in levity. But levity 
and jesting, though often manifested 
by ministers and other Christians, are 
as inconsistent with true dignity as 
with the Gospel. Where were they 
seen in the conversation of the Re- 
deemer? Where in the writings of 
Paul? If Which are not convenient. 
That is, which are not Jit or proper ; 
which do not become the character 
of Christians. See Notes on Rom. i. 
28. Christians should be grave and 
serious, though cheerful and pleasant. 
They should feel that they have great 
interests at stake, and that the world 
has too. They are redeemed — not to 
make sport; purchased with precious 
blood — for other purposes than to 
make* men laugh. They are soon to 
be in heaven ; and a man who has any 
impressive sense of that will habitu- 
ally feel that he has much else to do 
than to make men laugh. The true 
course of life is midway between rao- 
roseness and levity; sourness and 
lightness; harshness and jesting. Be 
benevolent, kind, cheerful, bland, 
courteous, but serious. Be solemn, 
thoughtful, deeply impressed with 
the presence of God and with eternal 
things, but pleasant, affable, and be- 
nignant. Think not a smile sinful, 
but think not levity and jesting harm- 
less. 1 But rather giving of thanks. 
Thanks to God, or praises, are more 
becoming Christians than jesting. 
The idea here seems to be, that such 
employment would be far more appro- 
priate to the character of Christians 
than idle, trifling, and indelicate con 
versation. Instead, therefore, of meet- 
ing together for low wit and jesting; 
lor singing songs, and for the vulgar 
discourse which often attends such 
l< gatherings 1 ' of friends, Paul would 
have them come together for the pur- 
pose of praising God, and engaging in 



his service. Men are social in their 
nature ; and if they do not assemble 
for good purposes, they will for bad 
ones. It is much more appropriate 
to the character of Christians to come 
together to sing praises to God than 
to sing songs; to pray than to jest; 
to converse of the things of redemp- 
tion than to tell anecdotes; and to 
devote the time to a contemplation 
of the world to come than to trifles 
and nonsense. 

5. For this ye know. Be assured of 
this. The object here is to deter men 
from indulgence in those vices by the 
solemn assurance that no one "who 
committed them could possibly be 
saved. ^Kor unclean person. No one 
of corrupt and licentious life can 
be saved. See Rev. xxi. 27 ; xxii. 15. 
^\Xor covetous man, who is an idolater. 
That is, he bestows on money the af- 
fections due to God. See Col. iii. 5. 
To worship money is as real idolatry 
as to worship a block or a stone. If 
this be so, what an idolatrous world 
is this ! How many idolaters are there 
in professedly Christian lands ! How 
many, it is to be feared, in the Church 
itself! And since every covetous man 
is certainly to be excluded from the 
kingdom of God, how anxious should 
we be to examine our hearts, and to 
know whether this sin may not lie at 
our door ! ^ Hath any inheritance, etc. 
Such a one shall never enter heaven. 
This settles the inquiry about the final 
destiny of a large portion of the world; 
and this solemn sentence our con- 
science and all our views of heaven 
approve. Let us learn hence, (L) that 
heaven will be pure. (2.) That it will 
be a desirable place — for who would 
wish to live always with the licen- 
tious and the impure ? (3.) It is right 
to reprove*these vices and to preach 
against them. Shall we not be allow- 
ed to preach against those sins which 
| will certainly exclude men from heav- 
j en ? (4 ) A large part of the world is 
I exposed to the wrath of God. What 
| numbers are covetous ! What multi- 
tudes are licentious ! In how many 
! places is licentiousness openly and 
unblushingly practiced! In how many 
I more places in secret! And in how 
! many more is the heart polluted, while 
the external conduct is moral; the 



A.D. 64. J 



CHAPTER V. 



91 



the kingdom of Christ and of 
God. 

6 Let no man deceive a you with 



7 Be not ye therefore partakers 
with them. 

8 For 6 ye were sometime dark- 



vain words : for because of these j ness, but now are ye light c in the 
things cometh the wrath of God Lord: walk as children d of light ; 
upon the children of disobedience. 9 (For the fruit e of the Spirit is 



a Jer. '29.8,9. 



1 or, unbelief. 



soul corrupt, while the individual 
moves in respectable society! (5.) 
What a world* of shame will hell be ! 
How dishonorable and disgraceful to 
be damned forever, and to linger on in 
eternal tires, because the man was too 
polluted to be admitted into pure 
society ! Here, perhaps, he moved in 
fashionable life, and was rich, and hon- 
ored, and flattered; there he will be 
sent down to hell because his whole 
soul was corrupt, and because God 
would not suffer heaven to be contam- 
inated by his presence ! (6.) What a 
doom awaits the covetous man ! He, 
like the sensualist, is to be excluded 
from the kingdom of God. And what 
is to be his doom ? Will he have a 
place apart from the common damned 
— a golden palace, and a sumptuous 
table, and a bed of down in hell ? No. 
It will be no small part of his punish- 
ment that he will be doomed to spend 
an eternity with those in comparison 
with whom on earth, perhaps, he 
thought himself to be pure as an an- 
gel of light. (7. ) With this multitude 
of the licentious and the covetous will 
sink to hell all who are not renewed 
and sanctified. What a prospect for 
the gay, the fashionable, the moral, the 
amiable, and the lovely, who have no 
religion ! For all the impenitent and 
the unbelieving there is but one home 
in eternity. Hell is less terrible from 
its penal fires^nd its smoke of tor- 
ment than from its being made up of 
the profane, the sensual, and the vile; 
and its supreinest horrors arise from 
its being the place where will be gath- 
ered all the corrupt and unholy dwell- 
ers in a fallen world ; all who are so 
impure that they can not be admitted 
into heaven. Why, then, will the re- 
fined, the moral, and the amiable not 
be persuaded to seek the society of a 
pure heaven; to be prepared for the 
world where holy beings dwell? 
. 6. Let no man deceive you. Let no 
one by artful pleas persuade you that 
there will be no danger from practi- 
cing these vices. We may suppose that 
tlu'V would be under strong tempta- 



tions to mingle in the gay and festive 
scenes where these vices were not 
frowned on, or where they were prac- 
ticed, or that they might be tempted 
to commit them by some of the plaus- 
ible arguments which were then used 
for their indulgence. Many of their 
friends may have been in these circles, 
and they would endeavor to convince 
them that such were the customs 
which had been long practiced, and 
that there could be no harm still in 
their indulgence. Not a few philoso- 
phers endeavored, as is well known, 
to defend some of these practices, and 
even practiced them themselves. See 
Notes on Rom. i. It required, there- 
fore, all the authority of an apostle to 
convince them that, however plausible 
were the arguments in defence of these 
things, they certainly exposed those 
who practiced them to the wrath of 
God. ^For because of these things com- 
eth the wrath of God. See Notes on 
Rom. i. 18 ; ii. 8, 9. If Upon the children 
of disobedience. See Notes on Matt. i. 
1. Rom. ii. 8. 

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with 
them. Since these things displease 
God, and expose to his wrath, avoid 
them. 

8. For ye were sometimes darkness. See 
Notes on ch. ii. 11, 12. 1 Cor. vi. 11. 
The meaning here is, that they were 
themselves formerly sunk in the same 
ignorance, and practiced the same 

j abominations. ^But now are ye light 
\ in the Lord. Light is the emblem of 
\ happiness, knowledge, holiness. The 
meaning is, that they had been en- 
lightened by the. Lord to see the evil 
of these practices, and that they ought, 
therefore, to forsake them. 1 Walk as 
children of light. See Notes on Matt, 
i. 1, on the use of the word son, or chil- 
dren. The meaning here is, that they 
should live as became those who had 
been enlightened to see the evil of sin, 
and the beauty of virtue and religion. 
Comp. John xii. 36, where the same 
phrase occurs. 

9. For the fruit of the Spirit. That is, 
since the Holy Spirit through the Gos- 



92 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



in all goodness, and righteousness, 
and truth ;) 

10 Proving a what is acceptable 
unto the Lord. 

11 And have b no fellowship with 

a Rom. 12.2. b 1 Cor. 5. 9, 11. 

pel produces goodness, righteousness, 
and truth, see that you exhibit these 
in your lives, and thus show that you 
are the children of light. On the fruits 
* of the Spirit, see Notes on Gal. v. 22, 
23. The best MSS. here, however, read 
instead of spirit: "The fruit or 
result of 'light. ' ' This reading is adopt- 
ed by Griesbach, Hahn, and others. 
The sense, however, is not materially 
changed. The essential idea is, that 
religion in the heart produces good- 
ness in the life. Is in all goodness. 
Is seen in producing all kinds of good- 
ness. He who is not good is not a 
Christian. 

10. Proving what is acceptable unto the 
Lord. That is, "Walk as children of 
light (verse 8), thus showing what is 
acceptable to the Lord." Rosenmiil 
ler supposes that the participle is used 
here instead of the imperative. The 
meaning is, that by so living you will 
make a fair trial of what is acceptable 
to the Lord. The result on your hap- 
piness in this life and the next will be 
such as to show that such a course is 
pleasing in his sight. Dr. Chandler, 
however, renders it as meaning that 
by this course they would show that 
they discerned and approved of what 
was acceptable to the Lord. See Notes 
on Rom. xii. 2, where a similar form 
of expression occurs. 

11. And have no fellowship. See the 
sentiment here expressed fully ex- 

. plained in the Notes on 2 Cor. vi. 14- 
18. H The unf ruitful works. The deeds 
of darkness that produce no benefit to 
the body or the soul. The word un- 
fruitful is here used in contrast with 
the " fruit of the Spirit," ver 9. ^But 
rather reprove them. By your life, your 
conversation, and all your influence. 
This is the business of Christians. 
Their lives should be a standing re- 
buke of a sinful world, and they should 
be ever ready to express their disap- 
probation of its wickedness in every 
form. 

12. For it is a shame even to speak, etc. 
Comp. Romans i. 24-32. It is still a 
shame to speak of the practices of the 
heathen. Missionaries tell us that 



the unfruitful works of darkness, 
but rather reprove c them. 

12 For it is a shame even to 
speak of those things which are, 
done of them in secret. 

c 1 Tim. 5. 20. 

they can not describe the images on 
the car of Juggernaut, or tell us what 
is done in the idol temples. All over 
the world the same tiling is true. The 
cheek of modesty and virtue would 
be suffused with shame at the very 
mention of what is done by the wor- 
shippers of idols ; and the same is true 
of what is done by multitudes in Chris- 
tian lands, who are not worshippers 
of idols. Their deeds can not be de- 
scribed in the circles of the refined and 
the delicate; they can not be told in 
the presence of mothers and sisters. 
Is there not emphasis here in the 
words "even to speak of these 
things?" If the apostle would not 
allow them to name those things, or 
to speak of them, is it wise or safe for 
Christians now to be familiar with the 
accounts of those practices of pollu- 
tion, and for ministers to portray them 
in the pulpit, and for the friends of 
" moral reform" to describe them be- 
fore the world ? The very naming of 
those abominations often produces 
improper associations in the mind; 
the description creates polluting 
thoughts before the imagination ; the 
exhibition of pictures, even for the 
purpose of condemning them, defiles 
the soul. There are some vices which, 
from the corruptions of the human 
heart, can not be safely described, and 
it is to be feared that, under the plea 
of faithfulness, many have done evil 
by exciting improper#eelings, where 
they should have only alluded to the 
crime, and then spoken in thunder. 
Paul did not describe these vices, he 
denounced them; he did not dwell 
upon them long enough for the imag- 
ination to find employment, and to 
corrupt the soul. He mentioned the 
vice, and then he mentioned the wrath 
of God ; he alluded to the sin, and then 
he spoke of the exclusion of him who 
committed it from heaven. Compare 
Notes on 1 Cor. vi. 18. If Which are 
done of them in secret. Some commen- 
tators have supposed that there is an 
allusion here to the " mysteries 1 '' which 
were celebrated in Greece, usually at 
night, and far from the public eye. 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER V. 



93 



13 But all things that are 1 re- 
proved are made manifest a by the 
light : for whatsoever doth make 
manifest is light. 

1 or, discovered. a Jno. 3. 20, 21. 

Many of these were indeed impure and 
abominable, but there is no necessity 
for supposing that there is such an al- 
lusion here. The reference may be to 
the vices which were secretly practiced 
then as now ; the abominations which 
flee from the eye of day, and which are 
performed far from the public gaze. 

IS. But all things that are reproved. 
Marg. , discovered. The word here used 
properly means proved, demonstrated, 
reproved, or convicted (see Notes on 
John xvi. 8) ; but it seems here to be 
used in the sense of disclosed or dis- 
covered. The sense is, that its true 
nature is demonstrated ; that is, it is 
made known. ^Are made manifest by 
the light. That is, ' ' Light is the means 
of seeing what things are. We discern 
their form, nature, appearance by it. 
So it is with the Gospel — the light of 
the world. It enables us to see the 
true nature of actions. They are done 
in darkness, and are like objects in the 
dark. Their form and nature can not 
then be known; but, when the light 
shines, we see what they are." Comp. 
Notes on John iii. 20, 21. *^Forvjhat- 
soever doth make manifest is Ugh t. ' ' Any 
thing which will show the real form 
and nature of an object deserves to be 
called light." Of the truth of this no 
one can doubt. The meaning in this 
connection is, that that system which 
discloses the true nature of what is 
done by the heathen deserves to be 
considered as light, and that the Gos- 
pel which does this should be regard- 
ed as a system of light and truth. It 
discloses their odiousness and vile- 
ness, and it stands thus in strong con- 
trast with all the false and abominable 
systems which have upheld or pro-" 
ducecl those vices. 

14. Wherefore he saith. Marg., or it 
— clo Atyti. The meaning may be, ei- 
ther that the Lord says, or the Script- 
ure. Much difficulty has been expe- 
rienced in endeavoring to ascertain 
where this is said. It is agreed on all 
hands that it is not found, in so many 
words, in the Old Testament. Some 
have supposed that the allusion is to 
Isaiah xxvi. 19, u Thy dead men shall 
live ; awake and sing, ye that dwell in 
the dust, for thy clew is as the dew of 



14 Wherefore 2 he saith, h Awake, 
thou that sleepest, and arise from 
the dead, and Christ shall give 
thee light. 

2 or, it. 6 Isa. 60. 1. 

herbs," etc. But the objections to 
this are obvious and conclusive. (1.) 
This is not a quotation of that place, 
nor has it a resemblance to it, except in 
the word " awake." (2.) The passage 
in Isaiah refers to a different matter, 
and has a different sense altogether. 
See Notes on the passage. To make 
it refer to those to whom the Gospel 
comes is most forced and unnatural. 
Others have supposed that the refer- 
ence is to Isa. lx. 1-3, "Arise, shine, 
for thy light is come," etc. But the 
objection to this is not less decisive. 
(1.) It is not a quotation of that pas- 
sage, and the" resemblance is very re- 
mote, if it can be seen at all. (2.) That 
is addressed to the Church, calling on 
her to let her light shine; this, to 
awake and arise from the dead, with 
the assurance that Christ would give 
them light. The exhortation here is 
to Christians, to avoid the vices of the 
heathen around them ; the exhortation 
in Isaiah is to the Church, to rejoice 
and exidt in view of the fact that the 
day of triumph had come, and that the 
heathen were to be converted, and to 
come in multitudes and devote them- 
selves to God. In the design of the 
two passages there is no resemblance. 
Some have supposed that the words 
are taken from some book among the 
Hebrews which is now lost. Epipha- 
nius supposed that it was a quotation 
from a prophecy of Elijah; Syncellus 
and Euthalius, from some writing of 
Jeremiah; Hippolytus, from the writ- 
ing of some now unknown prophet. 
Jerome supposed it was taken from 
some apocryphal writings. Grotius 
supposes that it refers to the word 
light in ver. 13, and that the sense is, 
u That light says; that is, that a man 
who is pervaded by that light, let him 
so say to another." Heumann, and 
after him Storr, Michaelis, and Jen-- 
ning (Jewish Ant., ii., 252), suppose 
that the reference is to a song or In inn 
that was sung by the early Christians, 
beginning in this manner, and that the 
meaning is, "Wherefore, as it is said 
in the hymns which we sing, 

"Awake, thou that sleepest ; 
Arise; from the dead ,• 
Christ shall give thee light.*' 



94 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



Others have supposed that there is an 
allusion to a sentiment which prevail- 
ed among the Jews respecting the sig- 
nificancy of blowing the trumpet on 
the first day of the month, or the feast 
of the new moon. Maimonides con- 
jectures that that call of the trumpet, 
especially in the month Tisri, in which 
the great day of atonement occurred, 
was designed to signify a special call 
to repentance, meaning, "You who 
sleep, arouse from your slumbers; 
search and try yourselves; think on 
your Creator; repent, and attend to 
the salvation of the soul." — Burder, 
in Eos. Alt. u. neu. Morgenland. in loco. 
But all this is evidently conjecture. 
I see no evidence that Paul meant to 
make a quotation at all. Why may 
we not suppose that he speaks as an 
inspired man, and that he means to 
say, simply, that God now gives this 
command, or that God now speaks in 
this way ? The sense then would be, 
u Be separate from sinners. Come 
out from among the heathen. Do not 
mingle with their abominations ; do 
not name them. You are the children 
of light ; and God says to you, awake 
from false security, rouse from the 
death of sin, and Christ shall enlight- 
en you." Whatever be the origin of 
the sentiment in this verse, it is wor- 
thy of inspiration, and accords with 
all that is elsewhere said in the 
Scriptures. If Awake, thou that steepest. 
Arouse from a state of slumber and 
false security. Sleep and death are 
striking representations of th# state 
in which men are by nature. In sleep 
we are, though living, insensible to 
any danger that may be near; we are 
unconscious of what may be going on 
around us ; we hear not the voice of 
our friends ; we see not the beauty of 
the grove or the landscape; we are 
forgetful of our real character and con- 
dition. So with the sinner. It is as 
if his faculties were locked in a deep 
slumber. He hears not when God 
calls *, he has no perception of danger ; 
he is insensible to the beauties and 
glories of the heavenly world ; he is 
forgetful of his true character and con- 
dition. To see all this, he must be 
first awakened, and hence this solemn 
command is addressed to him. He 
must rouse from this condition, or he 
can not be saved. But can he awaken 
himself? Is it not the work of God 
to awaken a sinner? Can he rouse 
himself to a sense of his condition and 



I danger? How do we do in other 
: things ? The man that is sleeping on 
j the verge of a dangerous precipice we 
i would approach and say, "Awake! 
You are in danger." The child that is 
sleeping quietfy in its bed while the 
- flames are bursting into the room we 
\ would rouse and say, "Awake, or you 
! will perish !" Why not use the same 
language to the sinner slumbering on 
! the verge of ruin while the flames of 
i wrath are kindling around him? We 
| have no difficulty in calling on sleep- 
i ers elsewhere to awake when in dan- 
J ger ; how can we have any difficulty 
| when speaking to the sinner ? And 
arise from the dead. The state of the 
! sinner is often compared to death. 
| See Notes on ch. ii. 1. Men are by na- 
ture dead in sins, and they must rouse 
from this condition, or they will per- 
ish. How singular, it may be said, to 
call upon the dead to rise ! How could 
they raise themselves up ? Yet God 
speaks thus to. men, and commands 
| them to rise from the death of sin. 
Learn, then, (1.) That men are not 
S dead in sin in any such sense that they 
j are not moral agents or responsible. 
; (2.) That they are not dead in any such 
sense that they have no power of an} 7 
kind. (3.) That it is right to call on 
sinners to arouse from their condi- 
tion, and live. (4.) That they must 
put forth their efforts as if they were 
to begin the work themselves, without 
waiting for God to do it for them. 
They are to awake ; they are to arise. 
It is not God who is to awake; it is 
not Christ who is to arise. It is the 
sinner who is to awake from his slum- 
ber, and arise from the state of death; 
nor is he to wait for God to do the 
work for him. ^And Christ shall give 
thee light. Christ is the light of the 
world. See Notes on John i. 4, 9; 
viii. 12. Heb. i. 3. The idea here is, 
that if they will use all the powers 
with which God has endowed them, 
and arouse from their spiritual slum- 
ber, and make an appropriate effort 
for salvation, then they may expect 
that Christ will shine upon them, and 
bless them in their efforts. This is 
just the promise ttiat we need, and it 
is all that we need. All that man can 
ask is, that if he will make efforts to 
be saved, God will bless those efforts, 
so that they shall not be in vain. Fac- 
ulties of mind have been given us to 
be employed in securing our salva- 
tion ; and if we will employ them as 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER V. 



95 



15 See then that ye walk a circum- 
spectly, not as fools, but as wise, 

a Col. 4. 5. 



they were intended to be employed, 
we may look for the divine aid ; if not, 
we can not expect it. "God helps 
those who help themselves;" and they 
who will make no effort for their sal- 
vation must perish, as they who will 
make no effort to provide food must 
starve. This command was indeed 
addressed at first to Christians, but it 
involves a principle which is applica- 
ble to all. Indeed, the language here 
is rather descriptive of the condition 
of impenitent sinners than of Chris- 
tians. In a far more important sense 
they are "asleep," and are "dead;" 
and with the more earnestness, there- 
fore, should they be entreated to 
awake, and to rise from the dead, that 
Christ may give them light. 

15. See then that ye walk circumspectly. 
Carefully, anxiously, solicitous lest 
you fall into sin. The word rendered 
" circumspectly" — a Kpift w § — means 
diligently, and the idea here is, that 
they were to take special pains to 
guard against the temptations around 
them, and to live as they ought to. 
^ Not as fools, but as wise. Not as the 
people of this world live, indulging in 
foolish pleasures and desires, but as 
those who have been taught to under- 
stand heavenly wisdom, and who have 
been made truly wise. 

16. ^Redeeming the time. The word 
here rendered redeemiyig means to pur- 
chase ; to buy up from the possession 
or power of any one; and then to re- 
deem, to set free — as from service or 
bondage. See Notes on Gal. iii. 13. 
Here it means to rescue or recover 
our time from waste ; to improve it 
for great and important purposes. 
1 Because the days are evil. Because 
the times in which you live are evil. 
There are many allurements and 
temptations that would lead you away 
from the proper improvement of time, 
and that would draw you into sin. 
Such were those that would tempt 
them to go to places of sinful indul- 
gence and revelry, where their time 
would be wasted, and worse than 
wasted. As these temptations abound- 
ed, they ought, therefore, to be more 
especially on their guard against a 
sinful and unprofitable waste of time. 
This exhortation may be addressed to 
all, and is applicable to all periods. 



16 Kedeeming the tirfle, because 
the days are evil. 6 

b Psa. 37. 19. 

The sentiment is, that we ought to be 
solicitous to improve our time to 
some useful purpose, because there are, 
in an evil world, so many temptations to 
waste it. Time is given us for most 
valuable purposes. There are things 
enough to be done to occupy it all, 
and no one need have it hang heavy 
on his hands. He that has a soul to 
be saved from eternal death need not 
have one idle moment. He that has a 
heaven to win has enough to do to 
occupy all his time. Man has just 
enough given him to accomplish all 
the purposes which God designs, and 
God has not given him more than 
enough. They redeem their time who 
employ it (I.) in gaining useful knowl- 
edge; (2.) in doing good to others; 
(3.) in employing it for the purpose 
of an honest livelihood for themselves 
and families; (4.) in prayer and self- 
examination to make the heart better; 
(5.) in seeking salvation, and in en- 
deavoring to do the will of God. They 
are to redeem time from all that would 
waste and destroy it— like recovering 
marshes and fens to make them rich 
meadows and vineyards. There is time 
enough wasted by each sinner to se- 
cure the salvation of the soul; time 
enough wasted to do all that is need- 
ful to be done to spread religion around 
the world, and to save the race. We 
should still endeavor to redeem our 
time for the same reasons which are 
suggested by the apostle— because the 
days are evil. There are evil influ- 
ences abroad; allurements and vices 
that would waste time, and from which 
we should endeavor to rescue it. 
There are evil influences tending to 
waste time (1.) in the allurements to 
pleasure and amusement in every 
place, and especially in cities; (2.) in 
the temptations to novel-reading, con- 
suming the precious hours of proba- 
tion to no valuable purpose; (3.) in 
the temptations of ambition, most of 
the time spent for w'hich is wholly 
thrown away, for few gain the prize, 
and, when gained, it is a bauble not 
worth the effort; (4.) in dissipation— 
for who can estimate the amount of 
valuable time that is worse than 
thrown away in the places of revelry 
and dissipation; (5.) in wild and vis- 
ionary plans — temptations to which 



96 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



17 Whe^fore be ye not unwise, 
but understanding what a the will 
of the Lord is. 



18 And be not drunk h with wine, 
wherein is excess; but be filled 
with the Spirit ; 



abound in all lands, and pre-eminently 
in our own; (6.) and in luxurious in- 
dulgence — in dressing, and eating, and 
drinking. 

17. Be ye not unwise. Be not fools in 
the employment of your time and in 
your manner of life. Show true wis- 
dom by endeavoring to understand 
what the will of the Lord is, and then 
doing it. 

18. And be not drunk with wine. A 
danger to which they were exposed, 
and a vice to which those around them 
were much addicted. Comp. Notes 
on Luke xxi. 34. It is not improbable 
that in this verse there is an allusion 
to the orgies of Bacchus, or to the fes- 
tivals celebrated in honor of that hea- 
then god. He was "the god of wine," 
and during those festivals men and 
women regarded it as an acceptable 
act of worship to become intoxicated, 
and with wild songs and cries to run 
through streets, and fields, and vine- 
yards. To these things the apostle 
opposes psalms, and hymns, and spir- 
itual songs, as much mbre appropriate 
modes of devotion, and would have 
the Christian worship stand out in 
strong contrast with the wild and dis- 
solute habits of the heathen. Plato 
says that, while those abominable cer- 
emonies in the worship of Bacchus 
continued, it was difficult to find in 
all Attica a single sober man. — Rosen- 
milller, Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loco. 
On the subject of wine, and the wines 
used by the ancients, see Notes on 
John ii. 10, 11. We may learn from 
this verse (1.) that it was not uncom- 
mon in those times to become intoxi- 
cated on wine, and (2.) that it was pos- 
itively forbidden. All intoxication is 
prohibited in the Scriptures, no mat- 
ter by what means it is produced. 
There is, in fact, but one thing that 
produces intoxication. It is alcohol 
— the poisonous substance produced 
by fermentation. This substance is 
neither created nor changed, increased j 
nor diminished, by distillation. It 
exists in the cider, the beer, and the 
wine after they are fermented, and the 
whole process of distillation consists 
in driving it off by heat, and collecting 
it in a concentrated form, and so that 
it may be preserved. But distilling 



does not make it nor change it. Alco- 
hol is precisely the same thing in the 
wine that it is in the brandy after it is 
distilled ; in the cider or the beer that 
it is in the whisky or the rum ; and 
why is it right to become intoxicated 
on it in one form rather than in an- 
other ? Since, therefore, there is dan- 
ger of intoxication in the use of wine 
as well as in the use of ardent spirits, 
why should we not abstain from one 
as well as the other ? How can a man 
prove that it is right for him to drink 
alcohol in the form of wine or beer, 
and that it is wrong for me to drink it 
in the form of brandy or rum ? If Where- 
in is excess. There has been much dif- 
ference of opinion about the word 
here rendered excess — aarwTia. It oc- 
curs only in two other places in the 
New Testament, where it is rendered 
riot. Tit. i. 6. 1 Pet. iv. 4. The ad- 
jective occurs once (Luke xv. 13), where 
it is rendered riotous. The word (de- 
rived, according to Passow, from a, and 
<ro>£w, to save, deliver) means that which 
is unsafe, not to be recovered; lost 
beyond recovery ; then that which is 
abandoned to sensuality and lust; dis- 
soluteness, debauchery, revelry. The 
meaning here is, that all this follows 
the use of wine. Is it proper, then, 
for Christians to be in the habit of 
drinking it? "Wine is so frequently 
the cause of this, by the ungrateful 
abuse of the bounty of Providence in 
giving it, that the enormity is repre- 
sented by a very strong and beautiful 
figure, as contained in the very liquor." 
— Doddridge. ^But be filled with the 
Spirit. The Holy Spirit. How much 
more appropriate to Christians than 
to be filled with the spirit of intoxica- 
tion and revelry! Let Christians, 
when about to indulge in a glass of 
wine, think of this admonition. Let 
them remember that their bodies 
should be the temple of the Holy 
Ghost rather than a receptacle for in- 
toxicating drinks. Was any man ever 
made a better Christian by the use of 
wine? Was any minister ever better 
fitted to counsel an anxious sinner, to 
pray, or to preach the Gospel, by the 
use of intoxicating drinks ? Let the 
history of wine-drinking and intem- 
perate clergymen answer. 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER V. 



97 



19 Speaking to yourselves in a 
psalms, and hymns, and spiritual 

a Col. 3. 16. 

19. Speaking to yourselves. Speaking 
among yourselves, that is, endeavoring 
to edify one another, and to promote 
purity of heart by songs of praise. 
This has the force of a command, and 
it is a matter of obligation on Chris- 
tians. From the beginning, praise 
was an important part of public wor- 
ship, and is designed to be to the end 
of the world. See Notes on 1 Cor. 
xiv. 15. Nothing is more clear than 
that it was practiced by the Saviour 
himself and the apostles (see Matt, 
xxvi. 30), and by the primitive Church, 
as well as by the great body of Chris- 
tians in all ages. If In psalms. The 
Psalms of David were sung by the 
Jews at the Temple, and by the early 
Christians (see Notes on Matt. xxvi. 
30), and the singing of those psalms 
has constituted a delightful part of 
public worship in all ages. They speak 
the language of devotion at all times, 
and a large part of them are as well 
fitted to the services of the sanctuary 
now as they were when first composed. 
^[And hymns. It is not easy to deter- 
mine precisely what is the difference 
in the meaning of the words here used, 
or to designate the kind of composi- 
tions which were used in the early 
churches. A hymn is properly a song 
or ode in honor of God. Among the 
heathen it was a song in honor of some 
deity. With us now it denotes a short 
poem, composed for religious service, 
and sung in praise to God. Such brief 
poems were common among the hea- 
then, and it was natural ^hat Chris- 
tians should early introduce and adopt 
them. Whether any of them were 
composed by the apostles it is impos- 
sible now to determine, though the 
presumption is very strong that if they 
had been they would have been pre- 
served with as much care as their epis- 
tles, or as the Psalms. One thing is 
proved clearly by this passage, that 
there were other compositions used 
in the praise of God than the Psalms 
of David; and if it was right then to 
make use of such compositions, it is 
now. They were not merely "psalms" 
that were sung, but there were hymns 
undoes. Tf Spiritual songs. Spiritual 
odes — taSaU. Odes or BOUgS relating 
to spiritual things in contradistinction 
from those which were sung in places 
E 



songs, singing and making mel- 
ody in your c heart to the Lord ; 

6Psa. 147.7. c Psa. 57.7,8. 

of festivity and revelry. An ode is 
properly a short poem or song adapt- 
ed to be set to music or to be sung; 
a lyric poem. In what way these were 
sung it is now vain to conjecture. 
Whether with or without instrument- 
al accompaniments; whether by a 
choir or by the assembly; whether by 
an individual only, or whether they 
were by responses, it is not possible 
to decide from any thing in the New 
Testament. It is probable that it 
would be done in the most simple 
manner possible. Yet as music con- 
stituted so important a part of the 
worship of the Temple, it is evident 
that the early Christians would be by 
no means indifferent to the nature of 
the music which they had in their 
churches. And as it was so important 
a part of the worship of the heathen 
gods, and contributed so much to 
maintain the influence of heathenism, 
it is not unlikely that the early Chris- 
tians would feel the importance of 
rendering their music attractive, and 
of making it tributary to the support 
of religion. If there is attractive mu- 
sic at the banquet, in the opera, and 
in the theatre, contributing to the 
maintenance of amusements where 
God is forgotten, assuredly the music 
of the sanctuary should not be such 
as to disgust those of pure and refined 
taste. If Singing— qdovTz<s. The pre- 
vailing character of music in the wor- 
ship of God should be vocal. If instru- 
ments are employed, they should be 
so subordinate that the service may be 
characterized as singing. If And mak- 
ing melody. Melody is an agreeable 
succession of sounds; a succession so 
regulated and modulated as to please 
the ear. It^iiffers from harmony, in- 
asmuch as melody is an agreeable suc- 
cession of sounds by a single voice ; 
harmony consists in the accordance 
of different sounds. It is not certain, 
however, that the apostle here had 
reference to what is properly called 
melody. The word which he uses — 
\l/a\\u>— means to touch, twitch, pluck 
— as the hair, the beard; and then to 
twitch a string — to twang it — as the 
string of a bow, and then the string 
of an instrument of music. It is most 
frequently used in the sense of touch 
ing or playing a lyre or a harp; apcl 



us 



EPHESIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



20 Giving thanks 0 always for all in the name of onr Lord Jesue 
things unto God and the Father Christ : 



then it signifies to make music in 
general, to sing — perhaps usually with 
the idea of being accompanied with a 
lyre or harp. It is used in the New 
Testament only in Eom. v. 19, 1 Cor. 
xiv. 15, where it is translated sing; in 
James v. 13, where it is rendered sing 
psalms; and in the place before us. 
The idea here is that of singing in the 
heart, or praising God from the heart. 
The psalms, and hymns, and songs 
were to be sung s*o that the heart 
should be engaged, and not so as to 
be mere music, or a mere external per- 
formance. On the phrase "in the 
heart," see Notes on 1 Cor. xiv. 15. 

To the Lord. In praise of the Lord, 
or addressed to him. Singing, as here 
meant, is a direct and solemn act of 
worship, and should be considered 
such as really as prayer. In singing 
we should regard ourselves as speak- 
ing directly to God, and the words, 
therefore, should be uttered with a 
solemnity and awe becoming such a 
direct address to the great Jehovah. 
So Pliny says of the early Christians, 
Carmenque "Christo quasi Deo dicer e se- 
cum invicem — "and they sang among 
themselves hymns to Christ as God." 
If this be the true nature and design 
of public psalmody, then it follows 
(1.) that all should regard it as an 
act of solemn worship in which they 
should engage — in heart at least, if 
they can not themselves sing. (2.) 
Public psalmody should not be in- 
trusted wholly to the«light and gay ; 
to the trifling and careless part of a 
congregation. (3.) They who conduct 
this part of public worship ought to 
be pious. The leader ought to be a 
Christian; and they who join in it 
ought also to give their fcearts to the 
Redeemer. Perhaps it would not be 
proper to say absolutely that no one 
who is not a professor of religion 
should take part in the exercises of 
the choir in a church ; but there can 
be no error in saying that such per- 
sons ought to give themselves to 
Christ, and to sing from the heart. 
Their voices would be none the less 
sweet; their music no less pure and 
beautiful ; nor would their own pleas- 
ure in the service be lessened. A choir 
of sweet singers in a church— united 
in the same praises here— ought to be 



prepared to join in the same praises 
around the throne of God. 

20. Giving thanks always. This is 
probably designed to be connected 
j with the preceding verse, and to de- 
note that the proper subject of psalms 
and hymns is thanksgiving and praise. 
This is indeed always the main design, 
and should be so regarded ; and this 
; part of worship should be so conduct- 
ed as to keep up in the heart a lively 
sense of the mercy and goodness of 
J God. *\\For all things — virlp irdirroov — 
; for all things or all persons. Dr. Bar- 
i row supposes that the meaning here 
is, that they were to give thanks for 
all persons, and to regard themselves as 
under obligation to give thanks for 
the mercies bestowed upon the human 
race, in accordance with the idea ex- 
pressed in the Liturgy of the Epis- 
copal Church, "We, thine unworthy 
servants, do give thee most humble 
and hearty thanks for thy goodness 
and loving-kindness to us, and to all 
men." This idea is beautiful, and it 
accords with the requirements of the 
Scriptures elsewhere. 1 Tim. ii. 1: "I 
exhort, therefore, that first of all, sup- 
plications, prayers, intercessions, and 
giving of thcmks,he made for all men." 
Such is the dut} 7 of Christians ; and I 
| see no departure from the fair mean- 
! ing of the words here in supposing 
I that the apostle may have designed to 
express such an idea. The sense, ac- 
cording to this, would be, that we are 
to praise God for his general mercy to 
mankind ; #for all the happiness which 
mortals are permitted to enjqy; for 
the love of God to our race in crea- 
tion, in providence, and in redemp- 
tion—just as a grateful child will give 
thanks to a parent for all the kindness 
shown to his brothers and sisters. One 
obvious effect of this would be to over- 
come selfishness, and to make us rejoice 
in the happiness of others as well as 
in our own. Another effect would be 
to make us feel a deeper interest in 
the condition of our fellow-creatures. 
Another would be to elevate and en- 
large our conceptions of the goodness 
of God— directing the mind to all the 
favors which he has bestowed on the 
race. Man has much for which to be 
grateful; and the duty of acknowledg- 
ing the mercy of God to the race 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER V. 



90 



21 Submitting yourselves one to 
another in the fear of God. 

22 Wives, a submit yourselves 

a 1 Pet. 3.1, etc. Col. 3. 18, etc. 

should not be forgotten. We are prone 
so to magnify our calamities, and so to 
contemplate the woes of the race, that 
we overlook the occasions for grati- 
tude; and we should, therefore, look 
upon the mercies which we enjoy as 
well as the miseries which we endure, 
that our hearts may be right. He who 
looks only on his trials will soon find 
his mind soured and complaining ; he 
who endeavors to find how many oc- 
casions for gratitude he has, will soon 
find the burden of his sorrows allevi- 
ated, and his mind tranquil and calm. 
Yet, if the words here are to be taken, 
as in our translation, "for all things," 
they are full of force and beauty. 
"God be praised for every thing," was 
the constant language of Chrysostom, 
alike when Bishop of Antioch and 
Constantinople, and when persecuted 
and driven away; when surrounded 
by admiring multitudes, and when an 
unpitied cycle and a wanderer; and 
such may be our language. At the 
close of life, and in heaven, we shall 
see occasion to bless God for all his 
dealings with us. We shall see that 
we have not suffered one pang too 
much, or been required to perform 
one duty too severe. We shall see 
that all our afflictions, as well as our 
mercies, were designed for our good, 
and were needful for us. Why, then, 
should we not bless God in the fur- 
nace as well as in the palace ; on a bed 
of pain as well as on a bed of down ; 
in want as well as when sitting down 
at the splendid banquet ? God knows 
what is best for us ; and the way in 
which he leads us, mysterious though 
it seem to be now, will yet be seen to 
have been full of goodness and mercy. 
1 Unto God and the Father. Or, "to 
God, even the Father." It can not 
mean to God as distinguished from 
the Father, or first to God and then to 
the Father, as if the Father were dis- 
tinct from God. The meaning is, that 
thanks are to be given specially to 
God the Father— the great Author of 
all mercies, and the source of all bless- 
ings. Tf In the name of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. That is, through his media- 
tion, or trusting in him. See Notes 
on John xiv. 13. The meaning is, that 
we are always to approach God through 



unto your own husbands, as unto 
the Lord. 
23 For the husband is the head 



the mediation of theLord Jesus. When 
we ask for mercy, it is to be on his ac- 
count, or through his merits; when 
we plead for strength and grace to 
support us in trial, it is to be in de- 
pendence on him ; and when we give 
thanks, it is to be through him, and 
because it is through his intervention 
that we receive all blessings, and by 
his merits that even the gratitude of 
beings so sinful as we are can be ac- 
cepted. 

21. Submitting yourselves one to an- 
other. Maintaining due subordination 
in the various relations of life. This 
general principle of religion the apos- 
tle proceeds now to illustrate in refer- 
ence to wives (vs. 22-24) ; to children 
(ch. vi., 1-3) ; and to servants (ch. vi., 
5-8). At the same time that he en- 
forces this duty of submission, how- 
ever, he enjoins on others to use their 
authority in a proper manner, and 
gives solemn injunctions that there 
should be no abuse of power. Parties 
ularly he enjoins on husbands the duty 
of loving their wives with all tender- 
ness (vs. 25-33) ; on fathers, the duty 
Oj£ treating their children so that they 
might easily obey them (ch. vi., 4); 
and on masters, the duty of treating 
their servants with kindness, remem- 
bering that they have a Master also in 
heaven (ch. vi., 9). The general mean- 
ing here is, that Christianity does not 
break up the relations of life, and pro- 
duce disorder, lawlessness, and insub- 
ordination ; but that it will confirm 
every proper authority, and make 
every just yoke lighter. Infidelity 
is always disorganizing; Christianity, 
never. 

22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your 
own husbands. On this passage, comp. 
Notes on 1 Cor. xi. 3-9. The duty of 
the submission o^ie wife to her hus- 
band is every wlrefc^enjoined in the 
Scriptures. See 1 Pet. iii. 1. Col. iii. 
18. Titus ii. 5. While Christianity 
designed to elevate the character of 
the wife, and to make her a fit com- 
panion of an intelligent and pious hus- 
band, it did not intend to destroy all 
subordination and authority. Man, 
by the fact that he was first created ; 
that the woman was taken from him ; 
that he is better qualified for ruling 



100 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



than she is, is evidently designed to 
be at the head of The little community 
that constitutes a family. In many 
other things woman may be his equal ; 
in loveliness, and grace, and beauty, 
and tenderness, and gentleness, she is 
far his superior; but these are not 
the qualities adapted for government. 
Their place is in another sphere; and 
there, man should be as cautious about 
invading her prerogative, or abridging 
her liberty, as she should be about in- 
vading the prerogative that belongs to 
him. In every family there should be 
ahead— some one who is to be looked 
up to as the counselor and the ruler; 
some one to whom all should be sub- 
ordinate. God has given that prerog- 
ative to man, and no family prospers 
where that arrangement is violated. 
"Within proper metes andlimits, there- 
fore, it is the duty of the wife to obey, 
or to submit herself to her husband. 
Those limits are such as the follow- 
ing : 1. In domestic arrangements, the 
husband is to be regarded as the head 
of the family ; and he has a right to 
direct as to the style of living, the ex- 
penses of the family, the clothing, etc. 
W. In regard to the laws which are to 
regulate the family, he is the head. It 
is his to say what is to be done ; in 
what way the children are to employ 
themselves, and to give directions jp. 
regard to their education, etc. 3.^fi 
business matters, the wife is to submit 
to the husband. She may counsel with 
him, if he chooses; but the affairs of 
business and property are under his 
control, and must be left at his dis- 
posal. 4. In every thing, except that 
which relates to conscience and religion, 
he has authority. But there his au- 
thority ceases. He has no right to 
require her to commit an act of dis- 
honesty, to connive at wrong-doing, 
to visit a place of amusement which 
her conscience tells her is wrong, nor 
has he a right to interfere with the 
proper discharge of her religious du- 
ties. He has no r^jit to forbid her to 
go to church at*tlre proper and usual 
time, or to make a profession of relig- 
ion when and where she pleases. He 
has no right to forbid her endeavoring 
to exercise a religious influence over 
her children, or to endeavor to lead 
them to God. She is bound to obey 
God rather than any man (see Notes 
on Acts iv. 19); and when even a hus- 
band interferes*in such cases, and at- 
tempts to control her, he steps beyond 



i his proper bounds, and invades the 
prerogative of God, and his authority 
! ceases to be binding. It ought to be 
! said, however, that, in order to justify 
her acting independently in such a 
case, the following things are proper : 
(1.) It should be really a case of con- 
science — a case where the Lord has 
plainly required her to do what she 
i proposes to do — and not a mere mat- 
' ter of whim, fancy, or caprice. (2.) 
j When a husband makes opposition to 
| the course which a wife wishes to pur- 
! sue in religious duties, it should lead 
| her to re-examine the matter, to pray 
| much over it, and to see whether she 
can not, with a good conscience, com- 
ply with his wishes. (3. ) If she is con- 
vinced that she is right, she should 
still endeavor to see whether it is not 
possible to win him to her views, and 
to persuade him to accord with her. 
i See 1 Pet. iii. 1. It is possible that, if 
she does right, he may he persuaded to 
do right also. (4.) If she is con- 
strained, however, to differ from him, 
it should be with mildness and gentle- 
ness. There should be no reproach 
and no contention. She should simply 
state her reasons, and leave the event 
to God. (5.) She should, after this, 
be a better wife, and put forth more 
and more effort to make her husband 
and family happy. She should show 
that the effect of her religion has been 
to make her love her husband and 
children more ; to make her more and 
j more attentive to her domestic duties, 
' and more and more kind in affliction. 
By a life of pure religion, she should 
| aim to secure what she could not by 
i her entreaties — his consent that she 
j should live as she thinks she ought 
! to, and walk to heaven in the path in 
I which she believes that her Lord calls 
! her. While, however, it is to be con- 
I ceded that the husband has authority 
! over the wife, and a right to command 
| in all cases that do not pertain to the 
! conscience, it should be remarked, (1.) 
! That his command should be reasona- 
| ble and proper. (2.) He has no right 
' to require any thing wrong, or con- 
trary to the will of God. (3.) Where 
commands begin in this relation, hap- 
piness usually ends ; and the mo- 
ment a husband requires a wife to do 
any thing, it is usually a signal of de- 
parting or departed affection and 
peace. When there are proper feel- 
ings in both parties in this relation, 
there will be no occasion either to 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER V. 



101 



of the wife, even as Christ is the 
head of the church : and he is the 
Saviour of the bodyv # 
24 Therefore as the church is sub- 
ject unto Christ, so let the wives be 



command or to obey. There should 
be such mutual love and confidence 
that the known wish of the husband 
t should be a law to the wife ; and that 
the known desires of the wife should 
be the rule which he would approve. 
A perfect government is that where 
the known wish of the lawgiver is a 
sufficient rule to the subject. Such is 
the government of heaven; and a fam- 
ily on earth should approximate as 
nearly as possible to that. Tf As unto 
the Lord. As you would to the Lord, 
because the Lord requires it, and has 
given to the husband this authority. 

23. For the husband is the head of the 
wife. See Notes on 1 Cor. xi. 3. % As 
Christ is the head of the Church. As 
Christ rules over the Church, and has 
a right to direct and control it. H And 
he is the Saviour of the body. That is, 
of the Church, represented as his body. 
Se£ Notes on ch. i. 23. The idea here 
seems to be, that as Christ gave him- 
self to save his body, the Church ; as 
he practiced self-denial, and made it 
an object of intense solicitude to pre- 
serve that Church, so ought the hus- 
band to manifest a similar solicitude 
to make his wife happy, and to save 
her from want, affliction, and pain. 
He ought to regard himself as her nat- 
ural protector; as bound to anticipate 
and provide for her wants; as under 
obligation to comfort her in trial, even 
as Christ does the Church. What a 
beautiful illustration of the spirit 
which a husband should manifest is 
the care which'Christ has shown for 
his u bride," the Church! See Notes 
on vs. 25-29. 

24. In every tiling. In every thing 
which is not contrary to the will of 
God. See Notes on ver. 23. 

25. Husbands, love your wives. The 
duty of the wife is to obey; the right 
of the husband is to command. But 
the apostle would guard against the 
abuse of that right by enjoining the 
manifestation of such a spirit on the 

. husband as would secure obedience 
on the part of the wife. He proceeds, 
therefore, to show that the husband, 
in all his intercourse with the wife, 
shquld manifest the same spirit which 



to their own husbands in every 
thing. 

25 Husbands, love your wives, 
even as Christ also loved the 
church, and gave himself for it : 



the Lord Jesus did towards the 
Church ; or, in other words, he holds 
up the conduct of the Redeemer to- 
wards the Church as the model for a 
husband to imitate. If a husband 
wished a rule that would be short, 
simple, clear, and efficacious, about 
the manner in which he should regard 
and treat his wife, he could not find a 
better one than that here suggested. 
If Even as Christ loved the Church. Th is 
was the strongest love that has ever 
been evinced in this world. It follows 
that a husband is in no danger of lov- 
ing his wife too much, provided she 
be not loved more than God. We are 
to make the love which Christ had for 
the Church the model. H And gave 
himself for it. Gave himself to die to 
redeem it. The meaning here is, that 
husbands are to imitate the Redeemer 
in this respect. As he gave himself to 
suffer on the cross to save the Church, 
so we are to be willing to deny our- 
selves, and to bear toil and trial, that 
we may promote the happiness of the 
wife. It is the duty of the husband to 
toil for her support; to provide for 
her wants ; to deny himself of rest and 
ease, if necessaiy, in order to attend 
on her in sickness ; to go before her 
in danger ; to defend her if she is in 
peril ; to be ready to die to save her. 
Why should he not be? If they are 
shipwrecked, and there is a single 
plank on which safety can be secured, 
should he not be willing to place her 
on that, and see her safe at all hazards 
to himself? But there may be more 
implied in this than that a man is to 
toil, and even to la}' down his life for 
the welfare of his wife. Christ laid 

I down his life to save the Church, and 
a husband should feel that it should 

j be one great object of his life to pro- 
mote the salvation of his wife. He is 
bound, so to live as not to interfere 
with her salvation, but so as to pro- 
mote it in every way possible. He is 
to furnish her all the facilities that she 
may need, to enable her to attend on 
the worship of God, and to throw no 
obstacles in her way. He is to set her 
the example; to counsel her if she 
needs counsel, and to make the path 



102 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



26 That he might sanctify and j himself a glorious church, not hav- 
cleanse it with the washing a of ! ing spot, c or wrinkle, or any such * 
water by the word : | thing ; but that it should be holy 

27 That he might present b it to and without Flemish. 

a Tit. 3. 5. b Jude 24. c Ca. 4. 7. 

of salvation as easy for her as possible, j the Church as his spouse to heaven. 
If a husband has the spirit and self-de- Rev. xxi. 9. Perhaps the word pre- 
nial of the Saviour, he will regard no pare would better express the sense 
sacrifice too great if he may promote here than present— tha t he may pre- 
the salvation of his family. pare it for himself as a holy Church. # 

26. That he might sanctify. The great Tindal renders it, "to make it unto 
object of the Redeemer was to purify himself." A glorious Church. A 
and save the Church. The meaning Church full of honor, splendor, beau- 
here is, that a husband is to manifest j ty. The idea of shining, or of being 
similar love toward his wife, and a j bright, would convey the sense here, 
similar desire that she should be pre- ! Probably there is still here an allusion 
pared to "walk before him in white." to a bride " adorned for her husband" 
^ And cleanse it with the washing of water. \ (Rev. xxi. 2; compare Psa. xlv. 9-14); 
In all this there is an allusion, doubt- and the idea is, that the Church will 
less, to the various methods of puri- ; be worthy of the love of the bride- 
fying and cleansing those who were I groom to whom it will then be pre- 
about to be married, and who were to j sented. H Not having spot. Not hav- 
be united to monarchs as their brides, ing a stain, a defect, or any impurity 
In some instances this previous prep- j — still retaining the allusion to a bride, 
aration continued for twelve months. ! and to the care taken to remove every 
The means of purification were vari- blemish. U Or wrinkle. In the vigor 
ous, but consisted usually in costly ■ and beauty of youth; like a bride in 
unguents. See Esther ii. 12. "Six! whom there is no wrinkle of age. 
months with oil of myrrh, and six j Or any such thing. Nothing to <He- 
months with sweet odors, and with j form, disfigure, or offend. To this 
other things for the purifying of worn- : beautiful illustration of the final glo- 
en." Comp. Psa. xlv. 13, 14. Ezek. j ry of the Church the apostle was led 
xvi. 7-14. As such a virgin was puri- ; by the mention of the relation of the 
fled and prepared for her husband by husband and the wife. It shows, (1.) 
washing and by anointing, so the The tendency of the thoughts of Paul. 
Church is to be prepared for Christ. ; He delighted to allow the associations 
It is to be made pure and holy. Out- ! in his mind, no matter what the sub- 
wardly there is to be the application | jectwas, to dra w him along to the Re- 
of water— the symbol of purity; and deemer. (2.) The passage here shows 
within there is to be holiness of heart, j us what the Church will yet be. There 
See Notes on 2 Cor. xi. 2, where Paul will be a period in its history when 
says of the Corinthians, "I have es-" there will not be any imperfection; 
poused you to one husband, that I i when there will be neither spot, nor 
may present you as a chaste virgin to wrinkle, nor any such thing. In heav- 
Christ." *\By the word. There has i en all will be pure, ©n earth we are 
been much diversity of opinion re- j preparing for that world of purity; 
specting the meaning of this. Prob- and it can not be denied that here 
ably the sense of the expression is, there is much that is imperfect and 
that all this was to be accomplished j impure. But in that future world 
by the instrumentality of the truth— I where the Church will be presented 
the Word of God. By that truth they | to Christ, clothed in the robes of sal- 
were to be sanctified (John xvii. 17); \ vation, there will not be one unholy 
and in accordance with that, the whole [ member ; one deceiver or hypocrite ; 
work from the commencement to the j one covetous or avaricious man ; one 
close was to be accomplished. It was that will pain the hearts of the friends 
not by external ceremonies, and not of purity by an unholy life. And in 
by any miraculous power on the heart, ! all the millions that will be gathered 
but by the faithful application of I there out of every land, and people, 
truth to the heart. and tongue, and age, there will be no 

27. That he way present it to himself. ; envy, malice, backbiting, pride, vanity, 
In the last day, when he shall receive worldliness ; there will be no annoy- 



A.D. 64.J 



CHAPTER V. 



103 



28 So ought men to love their 
wives as their own bodies : he that 
loveth his wife loveth himself. 

29 For no man ever yet hated 
his own flesh ; but nourisheth and 

a 1 Cor. 12. 27. 



cherish eth it; even as the Lord 
the church : 

30 For we are members a of his 
body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 

31 For 6 this cause shall a man 

b Gen. 2. 24. 



ing and vexing conflict in the heart 
with evil passions, "nor any such 
thing. 11 How different from the 
Church as it now is; and how w r e 
should pant for that blessed world ! 

28. So ought men to love their wives as 
their own bodies. Because they are one 
flesh. Verse 31. This is the subject 
on which Paul had been speaking, and 
from which he had been diverted by 
the allusion to the glorified Church. 
The doctrine here is, that a husband 
should have the same care for the com- 
fort of his wife which he has for him- 
self. Hef slrould regard her as one with 
himself* and as he protects his own 
body from cold and hunger, and, when 
sick and suffering, endeavors to re- 
store it to health, so he should regard 
and treat her. \Re that loveth his wife, 
loveth himself. (1.) Because she is one 
with him, and their interests are iden- 
tified. (2.) Because, by this, he really 
promotes his own welfare as much as 
he does when he takes care of his own 
body. A man's kindness to his wife 
will be more than repaid by the hap- 
piness which she imparts, and all the 
real solicitude which he shows to make 
her happy will come to more than it 
costs. If a man wishes to promote 
his own happiness in the most effect- 
ual way, he had better begin by show- 
ing kindness to his wife. 

29. For no man ever yet hated his own 
flesh. This is urged as an argument 
why a man should love his wife and 
show kindness to her. As no man 
disregards the happiness of his own 
body, or himself, so he should show 
equal care to promote the happiness 
of his wife. A sentiment similar to 
this is found in the classic writers. 
Thus Curtius (lib. vii.) says, Oorporibus 
nostrU quai utique non odimus — "We 
do not hate those things that pertain 
to our own bodies." So Seneca (Epist. 
14), Fateor insitam nobis esse corporis 
nostri charitatem — U I confess that 
there is implanted in us the love of 
our own body." The word nourisheth 
here means properly to bring up, as, 
for example, children. The sense here 
is, that ho provides for it, and guards 



it from exposure and want. The word 
cherisheth — SaXrn-L— means properly to 
warm; and may mean here that he de- 
fends it from cold by clothing ; and 
the two expressions denote that he 
provides food and raiment for* the 
body. So he is to do for his wife ; and 
in like manner the Lord Jesus regards 
the Church, and ministers to its spir- 
itual necessities. But this should not 
be spiritualized too far. The general 
idea is all that we want— that Christ 
has a tender concern for the wants of 
the Church, as a man has for his own 
body, and that the husband should 
show a similar regard for his wife. 

30. For we are members of his body. 
Of the body of Christ. See Notes on 
1 Cor. xi. 3 ; xii. 27. John xv. 1-6, and 
Eph. i. 23. The idea here is, that there 
is a close and intimate union between 
the Christian and the Saviour — a union 
so intimate that they may be spoken 
of as one. H Qf his flesh and of his 
bones. There is an allusion here evi- 
dently to the language which Adam 
used respecting Eve. "This is now 
bone of my bones, and flesh of my 
flesh." Gen. ii. 23. It is language 
which is employed to denote the 
closeness of the marriage relation, and 
which Paul applies to the connection 
between Christ and his people. Of 
course, it can not be understood liter- 
ally. It is not true literally that our 
bones are apart of the bones of Christ, 
or our flesh of his flesh ; nor should 
language ever be used that would im- 
ply a miraculous union. It is not a 
physical union, but a union of attach- 
ment; of feeling; of love. If we avoid 
the notion of & physical union, how- 
ever, it is scarcely possible to use too 
strong language in describing the 
union of believers with the Lord Je- 
sus. The Scriptures make use of lan- 
guage which is stronger than that em- 
ployed to describe any other connec- 
tion ; and there is no affection so pow- 
erful as that which binds the Christian 
to the Saviour. So strong is it, thai 
he is willing for it to forsake father, 
mother, and home ; to leave his coun- 
try, and to abandon his possessions; 



104 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



leave his father and mother, and 
shall be joined unto his wife, and 
they two a shall be one flesh. 

a 1 Cor. 6. 16. 



to go to distant lands and dwell 
among barbarians to make the Re- 
deemer known ; or to go to the cross 
or the stake from simple love to the 
Saviour. Account for it as men may, 
there has been manifested on earth 
nowhere else so strong an attachment 
as that which binds the Christian to 
the cross. It is stronger love than 
that which a man has for his own flesh 
and bones ; for it makes him willing 
that his flesh should be consumed by 
tire, or his bones broken on the wheel 
rather than deny him. Can the infi- 
del account for this strength of at- 
tachment on any other principle than 
that it has a divine origin ? 

31. For this cause — clvtl tovtov. This 
verse is a quotation from Gen. ii. 24, 
and contains the account of the insti- 
tution of marriage. On the meaning 
of this verse, see Notes on Matt. xix. 
4. There is no evidence that the mar- 
riage connection was originally de- 
signed to symbolize or typify the 
union of believers with Christ, but it 
may be used to illustrate that con- 
nection, and to show the strength of 
the attachment between the Redeem- 
er and his people. The comparison 
should be confined, however, strictly 
to the use made of it in the New Tes- 
tament. 

32. This is a great mystery. The Latin 
Vulgate translates this sacramentum 
hoc magnum est — "this is a great sacra- 
menV — and this is the proof, I sup- 
pose,»and the only proof adduced by 
the papists that marriage is a sacra- 
ment. But the original here conveys 
no such idea. The word mystery — 
fxvaTnpLov — means something which is 
concealed, hidden, before unknown ; 
something into which one must be in- 
itiated or instructed before he can un- 
derstand it. It does not mean that 
it is incomprehensible when it is dis- 
closed, but that hitherto it has been 
kept secret. When disclosed it may 
be as intelligible as any other truth. 
See the word explained in the Notes 
on ch. i. 9. Here it means, simply, that 
there was much about the union of 
the Redeemer with his people- resem- 
bling the marriage connection, which 
was not obvious except to those who 
were instructed; which was obscure 



32 This is a great mystery : but 
I speak concerning Christ and the 
church. 



to those who were not initiated; 
which they did not understand who 
had not been taught. It does not 
mean that no one could understand 
it, but that it pertained to the class of 
truths into which it was necessary for 
one to be initiated in order to compre- 
hend them. The truth that was so 
great a mystery was, that the eternal 
I bon of God should form such a union 
I with men ; that he should take them 
I into a connection with himself, imply- 
ing an ardor of attachment and a 
1 strength of affection superior to even 
: that which exists in the marriage re- 
lation. This was a great and profound 
I truth, to understand which it was nec- 
! essary to receive instruct^. * No one 
! would have understood it without a 
! revelation ; no one understands it now 
; except they who are taught of God. 
If But I speak concerning Christ and the 
| Church. This, it seems to me, is an 
: explicit disclaimer of any intention to 
i be understood as affirming that the 
\ marriage contract was designed to be 
! a type of the union of the Redeemer 
I and his people. The apostle says ex- 
pressly that his remarks do not refer 
to marriage at all when he speaks of 
the mystery. They refer solely to the 
union of the Redeemer and his people. 
How strange and unwarranted, there- 
fore, are all the comments of exposi- 
! tors on this passage designed to ex- 
j plain marriage as a mystei-ious type of 
I the union of Christ and the Church ! 
If men would allow the apostle to 
speak for himself, and not force on 
him sentiments which he expressly 
disclaims, the world would be saved 
from such insipid allegories as Mac- 
knight and others have derived from 
I this passage. The Bible is a book of 
sense ; and the time will come, it is 
, hoped, when, freed from all such alle- 
gorizing expositions, it will commend 
! itself to the good sense of mankind. 
I Marriage is an important, a holy, a 
! noble, a pure institution, altogether 
worthy of God ; but it does not thence 
follow that marriage was designed to 
| be a type of the union between Christ 
I and the Church, and it is certain that 
j the apostle Paul meant to teach no 
: such thing. 

33. Nevertheless. The apostle here re- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER V. 



105 



33 Nevertheless, let every one of 
you, in particular, so love his wife 

sumes the subject which he had been 
discussing in vs. 21-29, and says that 
it was the duty of every man to love 
his wife as he did himself. This was 
the main topic, from which he had 
been diverted by the discussion re- 
specting the love which the Redeemer 
had shown for his Church. H And the 
'wife see that she revereytce her husband. 
The word "see" is supplied by our 
translators. The meaning is, that it 
was the especial duty of the wife to 
show respect for her husband as the 
head of the family, and as set over her 
in the Lord. See Notes on vs. 22, 23. 
The word rendered reverence is that 
which usually denotes fear — cpo(ii)rai. 
She is to fear; that is, to honor, re- 
spect, obey the will of her husband. 
It is, of coifrse, not implied that it is 
not also her duty to love her husband, 
but that there should be no usurping 
of authority ; no disregard of the ar- 
rangement which God has made ; and 
that order and peace should be se- 
cured in a family by regarding the 
husband as the source of law. 

From what is here said of the du- 
ties of husband and wife, we may re- 
mark, 

(1.) That the happiness of society 
depends on just views of the marriage 
relation. It is true the world over, 
that the views which prevail in regard 
to this relation determine every thing 
in reference to all other relations of 
life, and to all other sources of enjoy- 
ment. 

(2. ) God designed that woman should 
occupy a subordinate, though an im- 
portant place in the relations of social 
life. This arrangement is never disre- 
garded without evils which can not 
be corrected until the original inten- 
tion is secured. No imaginary good 
that can come out of the violation of 
the original design ; no benefits which 
females, individual or associated, can 
confer on mankind by disregarding 
this arrangement, can be a compensa- 
tion for the evil that is done, nor can 
the evil be remedied unless woman 
occupies the place which God designed 
she should till. There nothing else can 
supply her place ; and when she is ab- 
sent from that situation — no matter 
what good she may be doing else- 
where — there is a silent evil reigning 
which can be removed only by her re- 
E 2 



even as himself ; and the wife see 
that she reverence her husband. 

turn. It is not hers to fight battles, 
or to command armies and navies, or 
to control kingdoms, or to make laws. 
Nor is it hers to go forward as a pub- 
lic leader even in enterprises of benev- 
olence, or in associations designed to 
act on the public mind. Her empire 
is the domestic circle; her first influ- 
ence is there ; and beyond that, her 
sphere is found only in such scenes as 
she can engage in without trenching 
on the prerogative of man, or neglect- 
ing the duty which she owes to her 
own family. 

(3.) It is not best that there should 
be the open exercise of authority in 
the relation of husband and wife. 
When commands begin in that rela- 
tion, happiness flies ; and the moment 
a husband is disposed to command his 
wife, or is under a necessity of doing it, 
that moment he may bid adieu to do- 
mestic peace and joy. 

(4.) A wife, therefore, should never 
give her husband occasion to command 
her to do any thing, or to forbid any 
things His known wish, except in 
cases of conscience, should be law to 
her. The moment she can ascertain 
what his will is, that moment ought 
to settle her mind as to what is to be 
done. 

(5.) A husband should never ivish or 
expect any thing that it may not be 
perfectly proper for a wife to render. 
He, too, should consult her wishes; 
and when he understands what they 
are, he should regard what she prefers 
as the very thing which he w r ould 
command. The known wish and pref- 
erence of a wife, unless there be some- 
thing morally wrong in it, or which 
may jeopard the pecuniary or other 
interests of the family, should be al- 
lowed to influence his mind, and be 
that which he directs in his house- 
hold. 

(6.) There is no danger that a hus- 
band will love a wife too much, pro- 
vided his love be subordinate to the 
love of God. The command is, to 
love her as Christ loved the Church. 
What love has ever been like that? 
How can a husband exceed it ? What 
did not Christ endure to redeem the 
Church ? So should a husband be wil- 
ling to deny himself to promote the 
happiness of his wife; to watch by 
her in sickness, aud, if need be, to 



106 



EPHESIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



peril health and life to promote her 
welfare. Doing this, he will not go 
beyond what Ch rist did for the Church. 
He should remember that she has a 
special claim of justice on him. For 
him she has left her father's home, 
forsaken the friends of her youth, en- 
dowed him with whatever property 
she may have, sunk her name in his, 
confided her honor, her character, and 
her happiness to his keeping, and the 
least that he can do for nereis to love 
her, and strive to make her happy. 
This was what she asked when she 
consented to become his ; and a hus- 
band's love is what she still asks to 
sustain and cheer her in the trials of 
life. If she has not this, whither shall 
she go for comfort ? 

(7.) We may see, then, the guilt of 
those husbands who withhold their 
affections from their wives, and for- 
sake those to whom they have sol- 
emnly pledged themselves at the al- 
tar; those who neglect to provide for 
their wants, or to minister to them in 
sickness ; those who become the vic- 
tims of intemperance, and leave their 
wives to tears. There is much, very 
much guilt of this kind on earth. 
There are many, many broken vows. 
There are many, many hearts made to 
bleed. There is many a pure and vir- 
tuous woman, who was once the ob- 
ject of tender affection, now, by no 
fault others, forsaken, abused, broken- 
hearted, by the brutal conduct of a 
husband. 

(8.) Wives should manifest such a 
character as to be worthy of love. 
They owe this to their husbands. 
They demand the confidence and af- 
fection of man, and they should show 
that they are worthy of that confi- 
dence and affection. It is not possi- 
ble to love that which is unlovely, nor 
to force affection where it is unde- 
served ; and, as a wife expects that a 
husband will love her more than he 
does any other earthly being, it is but 
right that she should evince such a 
spirit as will make that proper. A 
wife may easily alienate the affections 
of her husband. If she is irritable and 
fault-finding; if none of his ways 
please her; if she takes no interest in 
his plans, and in what he does ; if she 
forsakes her home when she should 
be there, and seeks happiness abroad ; 
or if, at home, she never greets him 
with a smile ; if she is wasteful of his 
earnings, and extravagant in her hab- 



! its, it will be impossible to prevent 
the effects of such a course of life on 
his mind. And when a wife perceives 
the slightest evidence of alienated af- 
fection in her husband, she should in- 
quire at once whether she has not 
given occasion for it, and exhibited 
such a spirit as tended inevitably to 
produce such a result. 

(9.) To secure mutual love, there- 
fore, it is necessary that there should 

| be mutual kindness and mutual loveli- 

j ness of character. Whatever is seen 
to be offensive or painful should be at 

| once abandoned. All the little peculi- 
arities of temper and modes of speech 
that are observed to give pain, should 

! be forsaken; and, while one party 
should endeavor to tolerate them, and 

| not to be offended, the other should 
make it a matter of conscience to re- 
move them. 

(10.) The great secret *of conjugal 
happiness is in the cultivation of a 
proper temper. It is not so much in 
the great and trying scenes of life that 

i the strength of virtue is tested; it is 
in the events that are constantly oc- 
curring — the manifestation of kind- 
ness in the things that are happening 
every moment; the gentleness that 
flows along continually, like the 
stream that winds through the mead- 
ow and around the farm-house, noise- 
less but useful, diffusing fertility by 
day and by night. Great deeds rarely 
occur. The happiness of life depends 
but slightly on them, but mainly on 
the little acts of kindness in life. 
Those acts Ave need every where; we 
need them always. And eminently in 
the marriage relation there is need of 
gentleness and love, sweetly manifest- 
ed each morning, beaming in the eye, 
and dwelling in the heart through the 
livelong day. 

CHAPTER VI. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter comprises the follow- 
ing subjects: (1.) An exhortation to 
children to obey their parents, with a 
promise of the blessing that would 
follow from obedience. Vs. 1-3. (2.) 
An exhortation to fathers to manifest 
such a character that children could 
properly obey them, and to train them 
up in a proper manner. Ver. 4. (3.) 
The duty of servants. Vs. 5-8. (4.) 
The duty of masters toward their 
servants. Ver. 9. (5.) An exhortation 
to put on the whole armor of God, 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



107 



CHAPTER VI. 

CHILDREN, a obey your parents 
in the Lord ; for this is right. 

a Prov. 23. 22. Col. 3. 20, etc. 

with a description of the Christian 
soldier and of the Christian panoply. 
Vs. 10-17. (6.) The exhortation to 
prayer, and especially to prayer for 
the apostle himself, that he might be 
enabled to speak with boldness in the 
cause of his Master. Vs. 18-20. (7.) 
In the conclusion (vs. 21-24), he in- 
forms them that if they wished to 
make any inquiries about his condi- 
tion, Tychicus, who conveyed this let- 
ter, could acquaint them with his cir- 
cumstances ; and then closes the epis- 
tle with the usual benedictions. 

1. Children — tIkvu. This word usu- 
ally signifies those who are young; 
but it is here used, evidently, to de- 
note those who were under the care 
and government of their parents, or 
those who were not of age. If Obey 
your parents. This is the first great 
duty which God has enjoined on chil- 
dren. It is, to do what their parents 
command them to do. The God of 
nature indicates that this is duty, for 
he has impressed it on the minds of 
all in every age; and the Author of 
revelation confirms it. It is particu- 
larly important, (1.) Because the good 
order of a family, and hence of the com- 
munity, depends on it; no communi- 
ty or family being prosperous where 
there is not due subordination in the 
household. (2.) Because the welfare 
of the child depends on it ; it being ot 
the highest importance that a child 
should be early taught obedience to 
law, as no one can be prosperous or 
happy who is not thus obedient. (3.) 
Because the child is not competent, as 
yet, to reason on what is right, or qual- 
ified to direct himself ; and, while that 
is the case, he must be subject to the 
will of some other person. (4. ) Because 
the parent, by his age and experience, 
is to be presumed to be qualified to 
direct and guide a child. The love 
which God has implanted in the heart 
of a parent for a child secures, in gen- 
eral, the administration of domes tic 
government in such a way as not to 
injure the child. A father will not, 
unless under strong passion or the ex- 
citement of intoxication, abuse his au- 
thority. He loves the child too much. 
He desires his welfare; and the plac- 



2 Honour b thy father and mother, 
which is jhe first commandment 
with promise, 

6Exod.20. 12. 

ing of the child under the authority 
of the parent is about the same thing 
in regard to the welfare of the child, 
as it would be to endow the child at 
once with all the wisdom and experi- 
ence of the parent himself. (5.) It is 
important, because the family govern- 
ment is designed to be an imitation 
of the government of God. The gov- 
ernment of God is what a perfect fam- 
ily government would be, and to ac- 
custom a child to be obedient to a par- 
ent is intended to be one method of 
leading him to be obedient to God. 
No child that is disobedient to a par- 
ent will be obedient to God ; and that 
child that is most obedient to a father 
and mother will be most likely to be- 
come a Christian, and be an heir of 
heaven. And it may be observed, in 
general, that no disobedient child is 
virtuous, prosperous, or happy. Ev- 
ery one foresees the ruin of such a 
child ; and most of the cases of crime 
that lead to the penitentiary or the 
gallows commence by disobedience to 
parents. ^In the Lord. That is, as 
far as their commandments agree with 
those of God, and no farther. No par- 
ent can have a right to require a child 
to steal, or lie, or cheat, or assist him 
in committing murder, or in doing any 
other wrong thing. No parent has a 
right to forbid a child to pray, to read 
the Bible, to worship God, or to make 
a profession of religion. The duties 
and rights of children in such cases 
are similar to those of wives (see Notes 
on ch. v. 22) ; and, in all cases, God is 
to be obeyed rather than man. When 
a parent, however, opposes the wishes 
of a child ; when he expresses an un- 
willingness that a child should attend 
a particular church, or make a profes- 
sion of religion, such opposition 
should in all cases be a sufficient rea- 
son for the child to pause and re-ex- 
amine the subject. He should pray 
much, and think much, and inquire 
much, before, in any case, he acts con- 
trary to the will of a father or mother; 
and, when he does do it, he should state 
to them, with great gentleness and 
kindness, that he believes he ought to 
love and serve God. H For th is is right. 
It is right, (1.) because it is so appoint- 
ed by God as a duty; (2.) because ehil- 



108 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



3 That it may be well with thee, ! your children to wrath ; but bring 
and thou may est live lcjng on the ■ them up in the nurture and ad- 
earth, monition of the Lord. 

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not 5 Servants/ be obedient to them 

a 1 Pet. 2. 18, etc. 



dren owe a debt of gratitude to their 
parents for what they have done for j 
them; (3.) because it will be for the j 
good of the children themselves, and j 
for the welfare of society. 

2. Honor thy father and mother. See 
Exod. xx. 12. Comp. Notes on Matt, 
xv. 4. 1j Which is the first commandment 
with promise. With a promise annex- 
ed to it. The promise was, that their 
days should be long in the land which 
the Lord their God would give them. 
It is not to be supposed that the ob- 
servance of the f o ii r first command- 
ments would not be attended with a 
blessing, but no particular blessing is 
promised. It is true, indeed, that there 
is a general declaration annexed to the 
second commandment, that God 
would show mercy to thousands of 
generations of them that loved him 
and that kept his commandments. 
But that is rather a declaration in re- 
gard to a?? the commands of God than 
a promise annexed to that specific 
commandment. It is an assurance 
that obedience to the law of God 
would be followed with blessings to a 
thousand generations, and is given in 
view of the first and second command- 
ments together, because they related 
particularly to the honor that was due 
to God. But the promise in the fifth 
commandment is a special promise. It 
does not relate- to obedience to God 
in general, but it is a particular assur- 
ance that they who honor their par- 
ents shall have a particular blessing 
as the result of that obedience. 

3. That it may be well with thee. This 
is found in the fifth commandment as 
recorded in Deut. v. 16. The whole 
commandment as there recorded is, 
"Honor thy father and thy mother, 
as the Lord thy God hath command- 
ed thee; that thy days may be pro- 
longed, and that it may go well with 
thee in the land which the Lord thy 
God giveth thee." The meaning here 
is, that they would be more happy, 
useful, and virtuous if they obeyed 
their parents than if they disobeyed 
them. ^[ And thou may est live long on 
the earth. In the commandment as 
recorded in Exod. xx. 12, the promise 



is, "that thy days may be long upon 
the land which the Lord thy God giv- 
eth thee." This referred to the prom- 
ised land — the land of Canaan. The 
meaning doubtless is, that there 
would be a special providence, secur- 
ing to those who were obedient to 
parents length of days. Long life was 
regarded as a great blessing, and this 
blessing was promised. The apostle 
here gives to the promise a more gen- 
eral form, and says that obedience to 
parents was connected at all times 
with long life. We may remark here 
(1.) That long life is a blessing. It af- 
fords a longer space to prepare for 
eternity ; it enables a man to be more 
useful ; and it furnishes a longer op- 
portunity to study the works of God 
on earth. It is not improper to de- 
sire it ; and we should make use of all 
the means in our power to lengthen 
out our days, and to preserve and pro- 
tract our lives. (2.) It is still true 
that obedience to parents is conducive 
to length of life, and that those who 
are most obedient in early life, other 
things being equal, have the best pros- 
pect of living long. This occurs be- 
cause (a) obedient children are saved 
from the vices and crimes which short 
en life. No parent will command his 
child to be a drunkard, a gambler, a 
spendthrift, a pirate, or a murderer. 
But these vices and crimes, resulting 
in most cases from disobedience to 
parents, all shorten life, and they who 
early commit them are 'certain of an 
early grave. No child who disobeys 
a parent can have any security that he 
will not fall a victim to such vices and 
crimes, (b) Obedience to parents is 
connected with virtuous habits that 
are conducive to long life. It will 
make a child industrious, temperate, 
sober ; it will lead him to restrain and 
govern his passions; it will lead him 
to form habits of self-government 
which will in future life save him from 
the snares of vice and temptation, 
(c) Many a life is lost early by disobey- 
ing a parent. A child disobeys a fa- 
ther and goesTnto a dram-shop; or he 
goes to sea ; or he becomes the com- 
panion of the wicked ; and he may be 



A.D. 64.J 



CHAPT. 



ER VI. 



109 



wrecked at sea, or his character on 
land may be wrecked forever. Of dis- 
obedient children there is perhaps not 
one in a hundred that ever reaches an 
honored old age. (d) We may still 
believe that God, in his providence, 
will watch over those who are obedi- 
ent to a father and mother. If he re- 
gards a falling sparrow (Matt. x. 29), 
he will not be unmindful of an 'obedi- 
ent child ; if he numbers the hairs of 
the head (Matt. x. 30), he will not be 
regardless of the little boy that honors 
him by obeying a father and mother. 

4. And, ye fathers. A command ad- 
dressed particularly to fathers, because 
they are at the head of the family, and 
its government is especially commit- 
ted to them. The object of the apostle 
here is to show parents that their 
commands should be such that they 
can be easily obeyed, or such as are 
entirely reasonable and proper. If 
children are required to obey, it is but 
reasonable that the commands of the 
parent should be such that they can 
be obeyed, or such that the child shall 
not be discouraged in his attempt to 
obey. This statement is in accord- 
ance with what he had said (chap. v. 
22-25) of the relation of husband and 
wife. It was the duty of the wife to 
obey, but it was the corresponding 
duty of the husband to manifest such 
a character that it -would be pleasant 
to yield obedience— so to love her, 
that his known wish would be law to 
her. In like manner it is the duty of 
children to obey a parent; but it is 
the duty of a parent to exhibit such a 
character, and to maintain such a gov- 
ernment, that it will be proper for the 
child to obey; to command nothing 
that is unreasonable, but to train up 
his children in the ways of virtue and 
pure religion. If Provoke not your chil- 
dren to wrath. That is, by unreasona- 
ble commands; by needless severity; 
by the manifestation of anger. So 
govern them, and so punish them — if 
punishment is necessary— that they 
shall not lose their confidence in you, 
but will love you. The apostle here 
has hit on the very danger to which 
parents are most exposed in the gov- 
ernment of their children. It is that 
of souring their temper; of making 
them feel that the parent is under the 
influence of anger, and that it is right 
for them to be so too. This is done 
(1.) when the commands of a parent 
are unreasonable and severe. The 



spirit of a child then becomes irrita- 
ted, and he is u discouraged. " Col. iii. 
21. (2.) When a parent is evidently 
excited when he punishes a child. The 
child then feels (a) that if his father 
is angry, it is not wrong for him to be 
angry; and (b) the very fact of anger 
in a parent kindles anger in his bosom 
— just as it does when two men are 
contending. If he submits in the case, 
it is only because the parent is the 
strongest, not because he is right, and 
the child cherishes anger while he 
yields to power. There is no principle 
of parental government more impor- 
tant than that a father should com- 
mand his own temper when he inflicts 
punishment. He should punish a child 
not because he is angry, but because 
it is right; not because it has become 
a matter of personal contest, but be- 
cause God requires that he should do 
it, and the welfare of the child de- 
mands it. The moment when a child 
sees that a parent punishes him under 
the influence of anger, that moment 
the child will be likely to be angry 
too — and his anger will be as proper 
as that of the parent. And yet, how 
often is punishment inflicted in this 
manner ! And how often does the 
child feel that the parent punished 
him simply because he was the stron- 
gest, not because it was right; and how 
often is the mind of a child left with a 
strong conviction that wrong has been 
done him by the punishment which 
he has received, rather than with re- 
pentance for the wrong that he has 
himself done. ^ But bring them up. 
Place them under such discipline and 
instruction that they shall become 
acquainted with the Lord. 1 In the 
nurture — avTraideia. The word here 
used means training of a child ; hence 
education, instruction, discipline. 
Here it means that they are to train 
up their children in such a manner as 
the Lord approves; that is, they are 
to educate them for virtue and relig- 
ion. ^ And admonition. The word 
here used — vovStvia— means, literally, 
a putting in mind, then warning, ad- 
monition, instruction. The sense is, 
that they were to put them in mind 
of the Lord— of his existence, his per- 
fections, his law, and his claims on 
their hearts and lives. This command 
is positive, and is in accordance with 
all the requirements of the Bible on 
the subject. No one can doubt that 
the Bible enjoins on parents the duty 



110 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



that are your masters according to 
the flesh, with fear and trembling, 

of endeavoring to train up their chil- 
dren in the ways of religion, and of 
making it the grand purpose of this 
life to prepare them for heaven. It 
has been often objected that children 
should be left on religious subjects to 
form their own opinions when they 
are able to judge for themselves. In- 
fidels and irreligious men always op- 
pose or neglect the duty here en- 
joined; and the plea commonly is, 
that to teach religion to children is to 
make them prejudiced; to destroy 
their independence of mind; and to 
prevent their judging as impartially 
on so important a subject as they 
ought to. In reply to this, and in de- 
fence of the requirements of the Bible 
on the subject, we may remark, (1.) 
That to suffer a child to grow up with- 
out any instruction in religion is about 
the same as to suffer a garden to lie 
without any culture. Such a garden 
would soon be overrun with weeds, 
and briers, and thorns ; but not sooner, 
or more certainly, than the mind of a 
child would. (2.) Men do instruct 
their children in a great many things, 
and why should they not in religion? 
They teach them how to behave in 
company; the art of farming; the 
way to make or use tools; how to 
make money ; how to avoid the arts 
of the cunning seducer. But why 
should it not be said that all this tends 
to destroy their independence, and to 
make them prejud iced? Why not 
leave their minds open and free, and 
suffer them to form their own judg- 
ments about farming and the mechanic 
arts when their minds are matured ? 
(3.) Men do inculcate their own senti- 
ments in religion. An infidel is not 
usually very anxious to conceal his 
views from his children. Men teach 
by example; by incidental remarks; 
by the neglect of that which they re- 
gard as of no value. A man who does 
not pray is teaching his children not 
to pray ; he who neglects the public 
worship of God is teaching his chil- 
dren to neglect it ; he who does not 
read the Bible is teaching his children 
not to read it. Such is the constitu- 
tion of things that it is impossible for 
a parent not to inculcate his own re- 
ligious views on his children, and, 
since this is so, all that the Bible re- 
quires is that his instructions should 



in singleness of your heart, as unto 
Christ ; 



be right. (4. ) To inculcate the truths 
of religion is not to make the mind 
narrow, prejudiced, and indisposed to 
perceive the truth. Religion makes 
the mind candid, conscientious, open 
to conviction, ready to follow-the 
truth. Superstition, bigotry, infideli- 
ty, and all error and falsehood, make 
the mind narrow and prejudiced. (5.) 
If a man does not teach his children 
truth, others will teach them error. 
The young skeptic that the child meets 
in the" street ; the artful infidel ; the 
hater of God ; the unprincipled stran- 
ger, will teach the child. But is it not 
better for a parent to teach his child 
the truth than for a stranger to teach 
him error? (6.) Religion is the most 
important of all subjects, and therefore 
it is of most importance that children 
on that subject should be taught 
truth. Of whom can God so proper- 
ly require this as of a parent ? If it 
be asked in what way a parent is to 
bring up his children in the nurture 
and admonition of the Lord, I answer, 
1. By directly inculcating the doc- 
trines and duties of religion — just as 
he does any thing else that he regards 
as of value. 2. By placing them in the 
Sabbath-school, where he may have a 
guarantee that they will be taught the 
truth. 3. By conducting them— not 
merely sending them — to the sanctu- 
ary, that they may be taught in the 
house of God. 4. By example— all 
teaching being valueless without that. 
5. By prayer for the divine aid in his 
efforts, and for the salvation of their 
souls. These duties are plain, simple, 
easy to be performed, and are such as 
a man knows he ought to perform. If 
neglected, and the soul of the child be 
lost, a parent has a most fearful ac- 
count to render to God. 

5. Servants — ol dovXoi. The word 
here. used denotes one who is bound 
to render service to another, whether 
that service be free or voluntary, and 
may denote, therefore, either a slave, 
or one who binds himself to render 
service to another. It is often used 
in these senses in the New Testament, 
just as it is elsewhere. It can not be 
demonstrated that the word here nec- 
essarily means slaves; though, if slav- 
ery existed among those to whom this 
epistle was written— as there can be 
little doubt that it did— it is a word 



A.D. 04.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



Ill 



6 Not with eye-service, as men- 
pleasers; but as the servants of 



Christ, doing the will of God from 
the heart : 



which would apply to those in this 
condition. Compare Notes on 1 Cor. 
vii. 21. Gal. Hi. 28. On the general 
subject of slavery, and the Scripture 
doctrine in regard to it, see Notes on 
Isaiah lviii. 6. Whether the persons 
here referred to were slaves, or were 
those who had bound themselves to 
render a voluntary servitude, the di- 
rections here given were equally ap- 
propriate. It was not the design of 
the Christian religion to produce a 
rude sundering of the ties which bind 
man to man, but to teach all to perform 
their duties aright in the relations in 
which Christianity found them, and 
gradually to modify the customs of 
society, and to produce ultimately 
the universal prevalence of that which 
is right. 1 Be obedient to them. This 
is the uniform direction in the New 
Testament. See 1 Pet. ii. 18. 1 Tim. 
vi.1-3. 1 Cor. vii. 21. The idea -is, that 
they were to show in that relation the 
excellence of the religion which they 
professed. If they could be made free, 
they were to prefer that condition to 
a state of bondage (see Notes on 1 
Cor. vii. 21) ; but while the relation re- 
mained, they were to be kind, gentle, 
and obedient, as became Christians. 
In the parallel place in Colossians (iii. 
22), it is said that they were to obey 
their masters "in all things." But ev- 
idently this is to be understood with 
the limitations implied in the case of 
wives and children (see Notes on chap, 
v. 24; vi. 1), and a master would have 
no right to command that which was 
morally wrong. U According to the flesh. 
This is designed, evidently, to limit the 
obligation to obedience. The meaning 
is, that they had control over the body, 
the flesh. They had the power to com- 
mand the service which the body could 
render; but they were not lords of the 
spirit. The soul acknowledged God 
as its Lord, and to the Lord they were 
to be subject in a higher sense than to 
their masters. 1 With fear and trem- 
bling. With reverence and with a dread 
of offending them. They have author- 
ity and power over you, and you should 
be afraid to incur their displeasure. 
Whatever might be true about the 
propriety of .slavery, and whatever 
might be the duty of the master about 
setting the slave free, it would be more 
lo the honor of religion for the serv- 



ant to perform his task with a willing 
mind than to be contumacious and re- 
bellious. He could do more for the 
honor of religion by patiently submit- 
ting to even what he felt to be wrong, 
than by being punished for what would 
be regarded as rebellion. It may be 
added here that it was presumed that 
servants then could read. These di- 
rections were addressed to them, not 
to their masters. Of what use w T ould 
be directions like these addressed to 
American slaves, scarce any of whom 
can read ? ^In singleness of your heart. 
With a simple, sincere desire to do 
what ought to be done. If As unto 
Christ. Feeling that by rendering 
proper service to your masters, you 
are, in fact, serving the Lord, and that 
you are doing that which will be well- 
pleasing to him. See Notes on 1 Cor. 
vii. 22. Fidelity, in whatever situation 
we may be in life, is acceptable service 
to the Lord. A Christian may as ac- 
ceptably serve the Lord Jesus in the 
condition of a servant as if he were a 
minister of the Gospel, or a king on 
a throne. Besides, it will greatly light- 
en the burdens of such a situation, and 
make the toils of a humble condition 
easy, to remember that we are then 
Serving the Lord. 

6. JVbt with eye-service. That is, not 
with service rendered only under the 
eye of the master, or when his eye is 
fixed on you. The apostle has here 
adverted to one of the evils of invol- 
untary servitude as it exists every 
where. It is, that the slave will usu- 
ally obey only when the eye of the. 
master is upon him. The freeman 
who agrees to labor for stipulated 
wages may be trusted when the mas- 
ter is out of sight, but not the slave. 
Hence the necessity, where there are 
slaves, of having " drivers" who shall 
attend them, and who shall compel 
j them to work. This evil it is impos- 
i sible to avoid, except where true re- 
| ligion prevails — and the extensive 
I prevalence of true religion would set 
I the slave at liberty. Yet, as long as 
the relation exists, the apostle would 
I enjoin on the servant the duty of per- 
| forming his work conscientiously, as 
rendering service to the Lord. This 
i direction, moreover, is one of great 
importance to all who are employed 
in the service of others. They arc 



112 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



7 With good will doing service, 
as to the Lord, and not to men : 

8 Knowing that whatsoever good 
thing any man doeth, the same 



shall he receive of the Lord, wheth- 
er lie ~be bond or free. 

9 And, ye masters, do the same 
things unto them, 1 forbearing 

1 moderating. 



bound to perform their duty with as 
much fidelity as though the eye of the 
employer was always upon them, re- 
membering that though the eye of 
man may be turned away, that of God 
never is. ^ As men-pleasers. As if it 
were the main object to please men. 
The object should be rather to please 
and honor God. If But as the servants 
of Christ. See Notes on 1 Cor. vii. 22. 
1 Doing the will of God from the heart. 
That ib, God requires industry, fideli- 
ty, conscientiousness, submission, and 
obedience in that rank of life. We ren- 
der acceptable service to God when, 
from regard to his will, we perform 
the services which are demanded of 
us in the situation in life where we 
may be placed, however humble that 
may be. 

7. As to the Lord, and not to men. 
That is, he should regard his lot in 
life as having been ordered by divine 
Providence for some wise and good 
purpose ; and until he may be permit- 
ted to enjoy his liberty in a "quiet and 
peaceable manner (see Notes on 1 Cor. 
vii. 21), he should perform his duties 
with fidelity, and feel that he is ren- 
dering acceptable service to God. This 
would reconcile him to much of the 
hardships of his lot. The feeling that 
God has ordered the circumstances of 
our lives, and that he has some wise 
and good ends to answer by it, makes 
us confented there, though we may 
feel and know that our fellow -man 
may be doing us injustice. It was 
this principle that made the martyrs 
so patient under the wrongs done 
them by men, and this may make even 
a slave patient and submissive under 
the wrongs of a master. But let not 
a master think, because a pious slave 
shows this spirit, that therefore the 
slave feels that the master is right in 
withholding- his freedom; nor let him 
suppose, because religion requires the 
slave to be submissive and obedient, 
that therefore it approves of what the 
master does. It does this no more 
than it sanctioned the conduct of Ne- 
ro and Mary, because religion required 
the martyrs to be unresisting, and to 
allow themselves to be led to the 
stake. A conscientious slave may find 



happiness in submitting to God, and 
doing his will, just as a conscientious 
martyr may; but this does not sanc- 
tion the wrong, either of the slave- 
owner or of the persecutor. 

8. Knowing that whatsoever good thing. 
Whatever a man does that is right, for 
that he shall be appropriately reward- 
ed. No matter what his rank in life, 
if he discharges his duty to God and 
man, he will be accepted. A man in 
a state of servitude may so live as to 
honor God; and, so living, he should 
not be greatly solicitous about his 
condition. A master may fail to ren- 
der suitable recompense to a slave; 
but, if the servant is faithful to God, 
he will recompense him in the future 
world. It is in this way that religion 
w r ould make the evils of life tolerable, 
by teaching those who are oppressed 
to bear their trials in a patient spirit, 
and to look forward to the future 
w orld of reward. Keligion does not 
approve of slavery. It is the friend 
of human rights. If it had full influ- 
ence on earth, it would restore every 
man to freedom. Christianity no- 
where requires its friends to make or 
to own a slave. No one under the 
proper influence of religion ever yet 
made a man a slave ; there is no one 
under its proper influence who would 
not desire that all should be free; and 
just in proportion as true religion 
spreads over the world, will universal 
freedom be its attendant. But Chris- 
tianity would lighten the evils of slav- 
ery even while it exists, and would 
comfort those who are doomed to so 
hard a lot by assuring them that even 
there they may render acceptable serv- 
ice to God, and that they soon will be 
admitted to a world where galling 
servitude will be known no more. If 
they may not have freedom here, they 
may have contentment; if they feel 
that wrong is done them by men, they 
may feel that right will be done them 
by God ; if their masters do not re- 
ward them for their services here, 
God will hereafter; and if they may 
not enjoy liberty on earth, they will 
soon be received into the world of 
perfect freedom — heaven. 

9. And, ye masters. The object of this 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



113 



is to secure for servants a proper treat- 
ment. It is evident, from this, that 
there were in the Christian Church 
those who were masters, and the most 
obvious interpretation is that they 
were the owners of slaves. Some such 
persons would be converted, as such 
are now. Paul did not say that they 
could not be Christians. He did not 
say that they should be excluded at 
once from the communion. He did 
not hold them up to reproach, or use 
harsh and severe language in regard 
to them. He taught them their duty 
towards those Who were under them, 
and laid down principles which, if fol- 
lowed, would lead ultimately to uni- 
versal freedom. ^ Do the same things 
unto them — to. av-ra. The "same 
things," here, seem to refer to what 
he had said in the previous verses. 
They were, to evince towards their 
servants the same spirit which he had 
required servants to evince towards 
them— the same kindness, fidelity, and 
respect for the will of God. He had 
required servants to act conscien- 
tiously; to remember that the eye of 
God was upon them; to regard them- 
selves in that condition in life as serv- 
ing God, and as mainly answerable to 
him. The same things the apostle 
would have. masters feel. They were 
to be faithful, conscientious, just, true 
to the interests of their servants; and 
they were to remember that they were 
responsible to God. They were not 
to take advantage of their power to 
oppress them, to punish them unrea- 
sonably, or to suppose that they were 
freed from responsibility in regard to 
the manner in which they treated 
them. In the corresponding passage 
in Colossians (iv. 1), this is, ".Masters, 
give unto your servants that which is 
just and equal." See Notes on that 
place. ^Forbearing threatening. 
Marg., moderating. The Greek word 
means to relax, loosen ; and then, to 
omit, cease from. This is evidently the 
meaning here. The sense is, that they 
were to be kind, affectionate, just. It 
does not mean that they were to remit 
punishment where it was deserved; 
but the object is to guard against that 
to which they were so much exposed 
in their condition — a fretful, dissatis- 
fied temper-, a disposition to govern 
by terror rather than by love. Where 
this unhappy state of society exists, 
it would be worth the trial of those 
who sustain the relation of masters to 



see whether it would not be possible 
to govern their servants, as the apos- 
tle here advises, by the exercise of 'love. 
Might not kindness, and confidence, 
and the fear of the Lord, be substitu- 
ted for threats and stripes ? H Know- 
ing that your Master also is in heaven. 
Margin, "Some read, both your and 
their. Many MSS. have this reading. 
See Mill. The sense is not materially 
affected farther than, according to the 
margin, the effect would be to make 
the master and the servant feel that, in 
a most important sense, they were on 
an equality. According to the com- 
mon reading, the sense is, that masters 
should remember that they Vere re- 
sponsible to God, and this fact should 
be allowed to influence them in a 
proper manner. This it would do in 
two ways : (1.) By the fact that injus- 
tice towards their servants would then 
be punished as it deserved — since 
there was no respect of persons with 
God. (2.) It would lead them to act 
towards their servants as they would 
desire God to treat themselves. Noth- 
ing would be better adapted to do this 
than the feeling that they had a com- 
mon Master, and that they were soon 
to stand at his bar. ^Neither is there 
respect of persons with him. See this 
expression explained in the Notes on 
Romans ii. 11. The meaning here is, 
that "God would n^lbe influenced in 
the distribution of rewards and pun- 
ishments by a regard to the rank or 
condition of the master or the slave. 
He would show no favor to the one 
because he was a master; he would 
withhold none from the other because 
he was a slave. He would treat both 
according to their character. In this 
world they occupied different ranks 
and conditions at his bar they would 
be called to answer before the same 
judge. It follows from this, (1.) that 
a slave is not to be regarded as a "chat- 
tel," or as a "thing," or as "proper- 
ty." He is a man ; a redeemed man ; 
an immortal man. He is one for 
whom Christ died. But Christ did 
not die for " chattels," and " things," * 
and "property." (3. ) jjhe master and 
the servant, in their great interests, 
are on a level. Both are sinners - both 
will soon die; both will moulder back 
in the same manner to dust; both will 
stand at the tribunal of God; both 
will give up their account. The one 
will not be admitted to heaven bec ause 
he is a master, nor will the other be 



114 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



threatening : knowing that 1 your 
Master also is in heaven ; neither 
is there respect a of persons with 
him. 



1 some read, both vour and their, 



a Rom. 8.11- 



10 Finally, my brethren, be strong 
in the Lord, and in the power of 
his might. 

11 Put on the whole armour h of 

6 Rom. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 7. 



thrust down to hell because he is a 
slave. If both are Christians, they 
will be admitted to a heaven where 
the distinctions of rank and color arc 
unknown. If the master is not a 
Christian and the servant is, he who 
has regarded himself as superior to 
the servant in this life will see him as- 
cend to heaven, while he himself will 
be thrush down to hell. (3.) Consid- 
erations like these will, if they have 
their proper influence, produce two 
effects : (a ) They will lighten the yoke 
of slavery while it continues, and while 
it may be difficult to remove it at once. 
If the master and the slave were both 
Christians, even if the relation contin- 
ued, it would be rather a relation of 
mutual confidence. The master would 
become the protector, the teacher, the 
guide, the friend; the servant would 
become the faithful helper — rendering 
service to one whom he loved, and to 
whom he felt himself bound by the 
obligations of gratitude and affection. 
( b) But this state of feeling would soon 
lead to emancipation. There is some- 
thing shocking tc^ie natural feelings 
of all men, and mmstrous to a Chris- 
tian, in the idea of holding a Christian 
brother in bondage. So long as the 
slave is regarded as a "chattel-' or a 
mere piece of "property," like a 
horse, so long men endeavor to con- 
tent themselves with the feeling that 
he may be held in bondage ; but the 
moment it is felt that he is a Christian 
brother— a redeemed fellow-traveler to 
eternity — a joint heir of life, that mo- 
ment & Christian should feel that it is 
a violation of all the principles of his 
religion to hold him as a slave; to 
make a "chattel" of that for which 
Christ died, and to buy and sell, like 
a horse, an ox, or an ass, a child of 
God and an heir of life. According- 
ly, the prevalence of Christianity soon 
did away the eml of slavery in the Ro- 
man empire; and if it prevailed in its 
purity, it would soon banish it from 
the face of the earth. 

10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in 
the Lord. Paul had now stated to the 
Ephesians the duties which they were 
to perform. He had considered the 
various relations of life which they 



sustained, and the obligations result- 
ing from them. He was not unaware 
that in the discharge of their duties 
they would need strength from above. 
He^uew that they had great and 
mighty foes, and that to meet them 
they needed to be clothed in the pan- 
oply 01 the Christian soldier. He 
closes, therefore, by exhorting them 
to put on all the strength which they 
could to meet the enemies with which 
they had to contend; and in the com- 
mencement of his exhortation he re- 
minds them that it w^as only by the 
strength of the Lord that they could 
hope^for victory. To be "strong in 
the Lord" is (1. ) to be strong or cour- 
ageous in his cause*, (2.) to feel that 
he is our strength, and to rely on him 
and his promises. 

1 L Pat on the whole armor of God. 
The whole description here is derived 
from the weapons of an ancient sol- 
dier. The various parts of those weap- 
ons— constituting the "whole pano- 
ply^— are specified in vs. 14-17. The 
word rendered "whole armor" — iravo- 
irXiav, panoply — means complete armor, 
offensive and defensive. See Luke xi. 
22. Rom.xiii.12. 2 Cor. vi. 7. "The 
armor of God" is not that which God 
wears, but that which he has provided 
for the Christian soldier. The mean- 
ing here is, (1.) that we are not to pro- 
vide in our warfare such weapons as 
men employ in their contests, but such 
as God provides; that we are to re- 
nounce the weapons which are carnal, 
and to take such as God has directed 
for the achievement of the victory 
(2.) We are to put on the "whole ar- 
mor." We are not to go armed part- 
ly with what God has appointed, and 
partly with such weapons as men use; 
nor are we to put on a part only of 
the armor of God, but the whole of it. 
A man needs all that armor if he is 
about to fight the battles of the Lord; 
and if he lacks one of the weapons 
which God has appointed, defeat may 
be the consequence. 1 That ye may 
be able to sta?id. The foes are so numer- 
ous and mighty, that, unless clothed 
with the divine' armor, victory will be 
impossible. % Against the wiles of the 
devil. The wo rd rendered " wilts. 1 1 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



115 



God, that ye may be able to stand 
against the wiles of the devil. 
12 For we wrestle not against 

1 blood and flesh. 

{jLeSrodeia, means prpperly that which 
is traced out with method; that which 
is methodized; and then that which is 
well laid — art, skill, cunning. It oc- 
curs in the New Testament Whly in 
Eph. iv. 14, and in this place. It is ap- 
propriately here rendered wiles, mean- 
ing cunning devices, arts, attempts to 
delude and destroy us. The u wiles 
of the devil" are the various arts and 
• stratagems which he employs to drag- 
souls down to perdition. We can more 
easily encounter an open attack than 
we can snares and cunning; and we 
need the weapons of Christian armor 
to meet the attempts to draw us into 
a snare, as much as to meet open force. 
The idea here is, that Satan does not 
carry on an open warfare. He does 
not meet the Christian soldier face to 
face. He advances covertly; makes 
his approaches in darkness ; employs 
cunning rather than power, and seeks 
rather to delude and betray than to 
vanquish by force. Hence the neces- 
sity of being constantly armed to meet 
him whenever the attack is made. A 
man who has to contend with a visible 
enefeny may feel safe if he only prepares 
to meet him in the open field. But far 
different is the case if the enemy is in- 
visible; if he steals upon us slyly and 
stealthily ; if he practices war only by 
ambushes and by surprises. Such is 
the foe that we have to contend with 
— and almost all the Christian strug- 
gle is a warfare against stratagems and 
wiles. Satan does not openly appear. 
He approaches "us not in repulsive 
forms, but comes to recommend some 
plausible doctrine, to lay before us 
some temptation that shall not imme- 
diately repel us. He presents the 
world in an alluring aspect; invites 
us to pleasures that seem to be harm- 
less, and leads us in indulgence until 
we have gone so far that we can not 
retreat. 

12. For we wrestle. Gr., u The wres- 
tling to us ;" or, " There is not to us 
a wrestling with flesh and blood." 
There is undoubtedly here an allusion 
to the ancient games of Greece, apart 
of the exercises in which consisted in 
wrestling. See Notes on 1 Cor. ix. 
25-27. The Greek word here used— 
ttuXi] — denotes a wrestling ; and then a 



1 flesh and blood, but against prin- 
cipalities, a against powers, against 
the rulers of the darkness of this 

a Rom. 8. 38. 

struggle, tight, combat. Here it re- 
fers to the struggle or combat which 
the Christian is to maintain — the 
Christian warfare. T[ Not with flesh and 
blood. Not with men. See Notes on 
Gal. i. 16. The apostle does not mean 
to say that Christians had no enemies 
among men that opposed them, for 
they were exposed often to fiery per- 
secution ; nor that they had nothing 
to contend with in the carnal and cor- 
rupt propensities of their nature, 
which was true of them then as it is 
now; but that their main controversy 
was with the invisible spirits of wick- 
edness that sought to destroy them. 
They were the source and origin of all 
their conflicts, and with them the war- 
fare was to be maintained. ^ But 
against principalities. There can be no 
doubt whatever that the apostle al- 
ludes here to evil spirits. Like good 
angels, they were regarded as divided 
into ranks and orders, and were sup- 
posed to be under the control of one 
mighty leader. See Notes on ch. i. 21. 
It is probable that the allusion here is 
to the ranks and orders which they 
sustained before their fall, something 
like which they may still retain. The 
wor d principalities refers to principal 
rulers, or chieftains. If Powers. Those 
who had power, or to whom the name 
of powers was given. Milton repre- 
sents Satan as addressing the fallen 
angels in similar language : 

"Thrones, dominations, princedoms, vir- 
tues, powers." 

^Against the rulers of the darkness of 
this world. The rulers that preside 
over the regions of ignorance and sin 
with which the earth abounds. Comp. 
Notes on ch. ii. 2. Darkness is an em- 
blem of ignorance, misery, and sin ; 
and no description could be more ac- 
curate than that of representing these 
malignant spirits as ruling over a dark 
world. The earth — dark, wretched, 
ignorant, and sinful — is just such a do- 
minion as they would choose, or as 
they would cause; and the degrada- 
tion and woe of the heathen world are 
just such as foul and malignant spirits 
would delight in. It is a wide and a 
powerful empire. It has been consol- 
idated by ages. It is sustained by all 



116 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



world, against - spiritual wicked- 
ness in 2 high places. 

13 Wherefore take unto you the 
whole armour of God, that ye may 

1 or, wicked spirits. 2 or, heavenly, as c. 1 . 3. 

the authority of law; by all the om- 
nipotence of the perverted religious 
principle ; by all the reverence for an- 
tiquity ; by all the power of selfish, 
corrupt, and base passions. No em- 
pire has been so extended, or has con- 
tinued so long, as that empire of dark- 
ness; and nothing on earth is so dif- 
ficult to destroy. Yet the apostle says 
that it was on that kingdom they were 
to make war. Against that, the king- 
dom of the Redeemer was to be set 
up ; and that was to be overcome by 
the spiritual weapons which he speci- 
fies. When he speaks of the Christian 
warfare here, he refers to the contest 
with the powers of that dark kingdom. 
He regards, each and every Christian 
as a soldier to wage war on it in what- 
ever way he could, and wherever he 
could attack it. The contest, there- 
fore, was not primarily with men, or 
with the internal corrupt propensities 
of the soul; it was with this vast and 
dark kingdom that had been set up 
over mankind. I do not regard this 
passage, therefore, as having a prima- 
ry reference to the struggle which a 
Christian maintains with his own cor- 
rupt propensities. It is a warfare on 
a large scale with the entire kingdom 
of darkness in the world. Yet, in main- 
taining the warfare, the struggle will 
be with such portions of that kingdom 
as we come in contact with, and will 
actually relate (1.) to our own sinful 
propensities— which are a part of the 
kingdom of darkness; (2.) to the evil 
passions of others— their pride, ambi- 
tion, and spirit of revenge — which are 
also a part of that kingdom; (3.) to 
the evil customs, laws, opinions, em- 
ployments, pleasures of the world— 
which are also a part of that dark 
kingdom; (4.) to error, superstition, 
false doctrine — which are also a part 
of that kingdom ; and (5) to the wick- 
edness of t he heathen world — the sins 
of benighted nations — also a part of 
that kingdom. Wherever we come in 
contact with evil, whether in our own 
hearts or elsewhere, there we are to 
make war. H Against spiritual wicked- 
ness. Marg. , u o r wicked spirits. ' ' Lit- 
erally, "The spiritual things of wick- 
edness; 1 ' but the allusion is undoubt- 



be able to withstand in the evil day, 
and, having done 3 all, to stand. . 

14 Stand, therefore, having your 
loins girt a about with truth, and 

3 or, overcome. a Isa. 11. 5. 

edly to evil spirits, and to their influ- 
ences on earth. ^ In high places— h 
toIs Eirovpaviois — "in celestial, or 
heavewy places." The same phrase 
occurs in chap. i. 3 ; ii. 6, where it is 
translated "in heavenly places." The 
word kTrovpavws is used of those that 
dwell in heaven, Matt, xviii. 35; Phil, 
ii. 10; of those who come from heav- 
en, 1 Cor. xv. 48; Phil. hi. 21; of the * 
heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and 
stars, 1 Cor. xv. 40. Then the neuter 
plural of the word is used to denote 
the heavens ; and then the lower Rav- 
ens, the sky, the air, represented as 
the seat of evil spirits. See Notes on 
chap. ii. 2. This is the allusion here. 
The evil spirits are supposed to occu- 
py the lofty regions of the air, and 
thence to exert a baleful influence on 
the affairs of man. What was the ori- 
gin of this opinion it is not needful 
here to inquire. No one Q^n prove, 
however, that it is incorrect. It is 
against such spirits, and all their ma- 
lignant influences, that Christians are 
called to contend. In whatever way 
their power is put forth — whether in 
the prevalence of vice and error; of 
superstition and magic arts; of infi- 
delity, atheism, or Antinomianism ; 
of evil customs and laws; of perni- 
cious fashions and opinions, or in the 
corruptions of our own hearts, we are 
to make war on all these forms of evil, 
and never to yield in the conflict. 

13. In the evil day. The day of temp- 
tation ; the day when you are violent- 
ly assaulted. If And having done all, 
to stand. Marg., " or overcome.' 1 '' The 
Greek word means to work out, effect, 
or produce ; and then to work up, to 
make an end of, to vanquish. — Robin- 
son, Lex. The idea seems to be, that 
they were to overcome or vanquish 
all their foes, and thus to stand firm. 
The whole language here is taken from 
war; and the idea is, that every foe 
was to be subdued, no matter how nu- 
merous or formidable they might be. 
Safety and triumph could be looked 
for only when every enemy was slain. 

14. Stand, therefore. Resist every at- 
tack — as a soldier does in battle. In 
what way they were to do this, and 
how they were to be armed, the apos- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



117 



tie proceeds to specify; and in doing 
it, gives a description of the ancient 
armor of a soldier. ^Having your loins 
girt about. The girdle, or sash, was al- 
ways with the ancients an important 
part of their dress, in war as well as 
in peace. They commonly wore loose, 
flowing robes ; and it became necessa- 
ry to gird them up when they travel- 
ed, or ran, or labored. The girdle was 
often highly ornamented, and was the 
place where they carried their monej 7 , 
their sword, their pipe, their writing 
instruments, etc. See Notes on Matt, 
v. 38-41. The "girdle" seems some- 
times to have been a cincture of iron 
or steel, designed to keep every part 
of the armor in its place, and to gird 
the soldier on every side. The follow- 
ing figure will give an idea of part of 
the armor of an ancient soldier : 




GRECIAN WARRIOR. 

With truth. It may not be easy to 
determine with entire accuracy the re- 
semblance between the parts of the 
armor specified in this description, 
aifH the things with which they are 
compared, or to determine precisely 
why the apostle compared truth to a 



girdle, and righteousness to a breast- 
plate, rather than why he should have 
chosen a different order, and compared 
righteousness to a girdle, etc. Per- 
haps in themselves there may have 
been no special reason for this arrange- 
ment, but the object may have been 
merely to specify the different parts 
of the armor of a soldier, and to com- 
pare them with the weapons which 
Christians were to use, though the 
comparison should be made somewhat 
at random. In some of the cases, how- 
ever, we can see a particular siguifi- 
cancy in the comparisons which are 
made ; and it may not be improper to 
make suggestions of that kind as we 
go along. The idea here may be, that 
as the girdle was the bracer up, or 
support of the body, so truth is fitted 
to brace us up, and to gird us for con- 
stancy and firmness. The girdle kept 
all the parts of the armor in their prop- 
er place, and preserved firmness and 
consistency in the dress; and so truth 
might serve to give consistency and 
firmness to our conduct. "Great," 
says Grotius, "is the laxity of false- 
hood; truth binds the man." Truth 
preserves a man from those lax views 
of morals, of duty, and of religion, 
which leave him exposed to every as- 
sault. It makes the soul sincere, firm, 
constant, and always on its guard. A 
man who has no consistent views of 
truth is just the man for the adversa- 
ry successfully to assail. ^ And hav- 
ing on the breastplate. The word here 
rendered " breastplate" (2ra>pa%) de- 
noted the cuirass, Lat. lorica, or coat 
of mail ; that is, the armor that cover- 
ed the body from the neck to the 
thighs, and consisted of two parts, one 
covering the front and the other the 
back. It was made of rings, or in the 
form of scales, or of plates, so fasten- 
ed togethMbfhat they would be flexi- 
ble, and ywguard the body from a 
sword, spear, or arrow. It is referred 
to in the Scriptures as a coat of mail 
(1 Sam. xvii. 5); an habergeon (Neh. iv. 
16) ; or as a breastplate. We are told 
that Goliath's coat of mail weighed 
five thousand shekels of brass, or near- 
ly one hundred and sixty pounds. It 
was often formed of plates of brass 
laid one upon another like the scales 
of a fish. The cuts on the following 
page will give an idea of this ancient 
piece of armor. If Qf righteousness. 
Integrity, holiness, purity of life, sin 
cerity of piety. The breastplate de- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



having on the breastplate of right- 
eousness ; 



15 And your feet a shod with the 
preparation of the gospel of peace; 



fended the vital parts of the body; 
and the idea here may be that integri- 
ty of life and righteousness of charac- 
ter are as necessary to defend us from 
the assaults of Satan, as the coat of 
mail was to preserve the heart from 
the arrows of an enemy. It was the 
incorruptible integrity of Job, and, in 
a higher sense, of the Redeemer him- 
self, that saved them from tke temp- 
tations of the devil. And i-t is as true 
now that no one can successfully meet 
the power of temptation uuless he is 
righteous, as that a soldier could not 
defend himself against a foe without 
such a coat of mail. A want of integ- 
rity will leave a man exposed to the 
assaults of the enemy, just as a man 
would be whose coat of mail was de- 
fective, or some part of which was 
wanting. The King of Israel was 
smitten, by an arrow sent from a bow 
drawn at a venture, "between the 
joints of his harness, 1 ' or the "breast- 
plate" (margin), 1 Kings xxii. 34; and 
many a man who thinks he has on the 
Christian armor is smitten in the same 
manner. There is some defect of char- 
acter; some want of incorruptible in- 
tegrity ; some point that is unguard- 
ed, and that will be sure to be the 
point of attack by the foe. So David 
was tempted to commit the enormous 
crimes that stain his memory, and Pe- 
ter to deny his Lord. So Judas was 
assailed, for the want of the armor of 
righteousness, through his avarice; 
and so, by some want of incorruptible 
integrity in a single point, many a 
minister of the Gospel has been assail- 
ed and has fallen. It may be added 
here that we need a righteousness 
which God alone can give — the right- 
eousness of God our Saviour, to make 
us perfectly invulnerable to all the ar- 
rows of the foe. 

15. And your feet shod. There is un- 
doubtedly an allusion here to what 
was worn by the ancient soldier to 
guard his feet. The Greek is, literally, 
"having underbound the feet;" that 
is, having bound on the shoes, or san- 
dals, or whatever was worn by the an- 
cient soldier. The protection of the 
feet and ankles consisted of two parts. 
(1.) The sandals, or shoes, which were 
probably made so as to cover the foot, 
and which often were fitted with nails, 



or armed with spikes, to make the hold 
firm in the ground ; or (2. ) with greaves 
that were fitted to the legs, and de- 
signed to defend them from any dan- 
ger. These greaves, or boots (1 Sam. 
xvii. 6), were made of brass, and were 
in almost universal use among the 
Greeks and Romans. See the figure 
of the "Grecian warrior" on page 117. 
If With the preparation. Prepared with 
the Gospel of peace. The sense is, that 
the Christian soldier is to be prepared 
with the Gospel of peace to meet at- 
tacks similar to those against which 
the ancient soldier designed to guard 
himself by the sandals or greaves 
which he wore. The word rendered 
preparation — k-Toifxaaia — means prop- 
erly readiness, fitness for, alacrity; and 
the idea, according to Robinson (Lex.), 
is, that they were to be ever ready to 
go forth to preach the Gospel. Taylor 
(Fragments to CalmeVs Diet., No. 219) 
supposes that it means, "Your feet 
shod with the preparation of the Gos- 
pel ; not iron, not steel— but patient 
investigation, calm inquiry, assiduous, 
laborious, lasting; or with firm footing 
in the Gospel of peace." Locke sup- 
poses it to mean, "with a readiness to 
walk in the Gospel of peace." Dodd- 
ridge supposes that the allusion is to 
greaves, and the spirit recommended 
is that peaceful and benevolent tem- 
per recommended in the Gospel, and 
which, like the boots worn by sol- 
diers, would bear them safe through 
many obstructions and trials that 
might be opposed to them, as a sol- 
dier might encounter sharp-pointed 
thorns that would oppose his prog- 
ress. It is difficult to determine the 
exact meaning; and perhaps all ex- 
positors have erred in endeavoring to 
explain the reference of these parts of 
armor by some particular thing in the 
Gospel. The apostle figured to him- 
self a soldier clad in the usual manner. 
Christians were to resemble him. One 
part of his dress or preparation con- 
sisted in the covering and defence of 
the foot. It was to preserve the foot 
from danger, and to secure the facility 
of his march, and perhaps to make him 
firm in battle. Christian^ere to have 
the principles of the Gospel of peace 
— the peaceful and pure Gospel — to fa- 
cilitate them ; to aid them in their 



120 



EPHESIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



16 Above all, taking the shield 
of faith, a wherewith ye shall be 

a 1 Jno. 5. 4. 



marches; to make them firm in the 
day of conflict with their foes. They 
were not to be furnished with carnal 
weapons, but with the peaceful Gospel 
of the Redeemer; and, sustained by 
this, they were to go on in their march 
through the world. The principles of 
the Gospel were to do for them what 
the greaves and iron -spiked sandals 
did for the soldier — to make them 
ready for the march ; to make them 
firm in their foot-tread ; and to be a 
part of their defence against their foes. 

16. Above all — IttI nracnv. Not above 
all in point of importance or value, but 
over all, as a soldier holds his shield to 
defend himself. This constituted a 
protection over every part of his body, 
as it could be turned in any direction. 
The idea is, that as the shield covered 
or protected the other parts of the ar- 
mor, so faith has a similar importance 
in the Christian virtues. 1 The shield. 
See Notes on Isa. xxi. 9. The shield 
was usually made of light wood, or a 
rim of brass, and covered with sev- 
eral folds or thicknesses of stout 
hide, which was preserved by frequent 
anointing. It was held by the left arm, 
and was secured by straps, through 
which the arm passed, as may be seen 
in the annexed cut. The outer surface 




GREEK WARRIOR. 



of the shield was made more or less 
rounding from the centre to the edge, 
and was polished smooth, or anointed 
with oil, so that arrows or darts would 
glance off, or rebound. H Of faith. On 
the nature of faith, see Notes on Mark 
xvi. 16. Faith here is made to occupy 
a more important place than either of 
the other Oftistian graces. It bears, 
to the whole Christian character, the 
same relation which the shield does to 
the other parts of the armor of a sol- 



able to quench all the fiery darts 
of the wicked. 



dier. It protects all, and is indispen- 
sable to the security of all, as is the 
case with the shield. The shield was 
an ingenious device by which blows 
and arrows might be parried off, and 
the whole body defended. It could be 
made to protect the head or the heart, 
or be thrown behind to meet an attack 
there. As long as the soldier had his 
shield, he felt secure ; and as long as a 
Christian has faith, he is safe. It comes 
to his aid in every attack that is made 
on him, no matter from what quarter ; 
it is the defence and guardian of every 
other Christian grace ; it secures the 
protection which the Christian needs 
in the whole of the spiritual war. 
If Wherewith ye shall be able to quench 
all the fiery darts of the wicked. Or, 
rather, "of the wicked one" — tov 
Trovripov. The allusion is undoubtedly 
to the great enemy of the people of 
God, called, by way of eminence, the 
wicked one. Comp. 2 Thess. iii. 3. Mr. 
Locke renders this, "Wherein you 
may receive, and so render ineffectu- 
al," etc. There seems a little incon- 
gruity in the idea of quenching darts 
by a shield. But the word quench here 
means only that they would be put 
out by being thrown against the shield, 
as a candle would by being thrown 
against any thing. The fiery darts that 
were used in war were small, slender 
pieces of cane, which were filled with 
combustible materials, and set on fire; 
or darts around which some combus- 
tible material was wound, and which 
were set on fire, and then shot slowly 
against a foe. The object was to make 
the arrow fasten in the body, and in- 
crease the danger by the burning ; or, 
more frequently, those darts were 
thrown against ships, forts, tents, etc., 
with an intention to set them on fire. 
They were in common use among the 
ancients. Arrian {Exped, of Alex., 11) 
mentions the 7rvpcpopa ptXv, the fire- 
bearing weapons; Thucydides (ii., c. 
75), the irvpcpopoi oLaToi, the fire-bear- 
ing arrows ; and Livy refers to similar 
weapons as in common use in war. — 
Lib. xxi., c. 8. By the "fiery darts of 
the wicked" Paul here refers, proba- 
bly, to the temptations of the great 
adversary, which are like fiery darts; 
or those suggestions of evil, and ex- 
citements to sin, which he may throw 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



121 



into the mind like fiery darts. They 
are, blasphemous thoughts, unbelief, 
sudden temptation to do wrong, or 
thoughts that wound a tender con- 
science and torment the soul. In re- 
gard to them, we may observe, (1.) 
that they come suddenly, like arrows 
sped from a bow ; (2.) they come from 
unexpected quarters, like arrows shot 
from an enemy in ambush; (3.) they 
pierce, and penetrate, and torment the 
soul, as arrows would that are on tire; 
(4.) they set the soul on fire, and en- 
kindle the worst passions, as fiery 
darts do a ship or camp against which 
they are sent. The only way to meet 
them is by the "shield of faith;" by 
confidence in God, and by relying on 
his gracious promises and aid. It is 
not by our own strength ; and, if we 
have not faith in God, we are wholly 
defenceless. We should have a shield 
that we can turn in any direction ; on 
which we may receive the arrow, and 
by which it may be put out. 

17. And take the helmet. The helmet 
was a cap made of thick leather or 



brass, fitted to the head, and usually 
crowned with a plume or crest as an 
ornament. Its use was to guard the 
head from a blow by a sword, a war- 
club, or a battle-axe. The cuts on the 
following page will show its usual 
form. It may be seen, also, in the fig- 
ure of the "Grecian warrior" on page 
117. H Of salvation. ' That is, of the hope 
of salvation ; for so it is expressed in 
the parallel place in 1 Thess. v. 8. The 
idea is, that a well-founded hope of 
salvation will preserve us in the day 
of spiritual conflict, and will guard us 
from the blows which an enemy would 
strike. The helmet defended the head, 
a vital part; and so the hope of salva- 
tion will defend the soul, and keep it 
from the blows of the enemy. A sol- 
dier would not fight well without a 
hope of victory. A Christian could 
not contend with his foes without the 
hope of final salvation; but, sustained 
by this, what has he to dread ? ^Ancl 
the sword. The sword was an essential 
part of the armor of an ancient sol- 
dier. His other weapons were the 




Roman Swords. 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



123 



17 And take the helmet a of sal- 18 Praying always c with all pray- 
vation, and the sword b of the Spir- er and supplication in the Spirit, 
it, which is the word of God : and watching d thereunto with all 

alsa.59.17. 6 Heb. 4. 12. j c Luke 18. 1. ■ d Matt. 26. 41. 



bow, the spear, and the battle-axe. 
But, without a sword, no soldier 
would have regarded himself as well 
armed. The ancient sword was short, 
and usually two-edged, and resembled 
very much a dagger, as may be seen in 
the engraving on p. 121 representing* 
Roman swords. ^ Of the Spirit. Which 
the Holy Spirit furnishes ; the truth 
which he has revealed. H Which is the 
word of God. What God has spoken 
— his truth and promises. See Notes 
on Heb. iv. 12. It was with this weap- 
on that the Saviour met the tempter 
in the wilderness. Matt. iv. It is only 
by this that Satan can now be met. 
Error and falsehood will not enable 
us to put back temptation; nor can 
we hope for victory unless we are 
armed with truth. Learn hence, (1.) 
That we should study the Bible in or- 
der that we may understand what the 
truth is. (2.) We should have texts 
of Scripture at command, as the Sav- 
iour did, to meet the various forms of 
temptation. (3.) We should not de- 
pend «©n our own reason, or rely on 
our own wisdom. A single text of 
Scripture is better to meet a tempta- 
tion than all the philosophy which 
the world contains. The tempter can 
reason, and reason plausibly too ; but 
he can not resist a direct and positive 
command of the Almighty. Had Eve 
adhered simply to the word of God, 
and urged his command, without at- 
tempting to reason about it, she would 
have been safe. The Saviour (Matt, 
iv. 4, 7, 10) met the tempter with the 
word of God, and he was foiled. So we 
shall be safe if we adhere to the simple 
declarations of the Bible, and oppose 
a temptation by a positive command 
of God. But, the moment we leave 
that, and begin to parley with sin, that 
moment we are gone. It is as if a man 
should throw away his sword, and use 
his naked hands only in meeting an 
adversary. Hence (4.) we may see the 
importance of training up the young 
in the accurate study of the Bible. 
There is nothing which will furnish a 
better security to them in future life, 
when temptation comes upon them, 
than to have a pertinent text of Script- 
ure at command. Temptation often 
assails us so suddenly that it checks 



all reasoning ; but a text of Scripture 
will suffice to drive the tempter from 
us. 

18. Praying always. It would be well 
for the soldier who goes forth to bat- 
tle to pray — to pray for victory; or 
to pray that he may be prepared for 
death, should he fall. But soldiers do 
not often feel the necessity of this. 
To the Christian soldier, howeveT, it 
is indispensable. Prayer crowns all 
lawful efforts with success, and gives 
a victory when nothing else would. 
No matter how complete the armor; 
no matter how skilled we may be in 
the science of spiritual war ; no mat- 
ter how courageous we may be, we 
may be certain that without prayer 
we shall be defeated. God alone can 
give the victory ; and when the Chris- 
tian soldier goes forth armed com- 
pletely for the conflict, if he looks to 
God by prayer, he may be sure of a 
triumph. This prayer is not to be 
intermitted. It is to be always. In 
every temptation and spiritual con- 
flict we are to pray. See Notes on 
Luke xviii. 1. 1 With all prayer and 
supplication. With all kinds of prayer ; 
prayer in the closet, the family, the 
social meeting, the great assembly; 
prayer at the usual hours ; prayer when 
we are specially tempted ; prayer when 
we feel just like praying (see Notes on 
Matt. vi. 6); prayer in the form of sup- 
plication for ourselves, and in the form 
of intercession for others. This is, 
after all, the great weapon of our spir- 
itual armor, and by this we may hope 
to prevail. 

" Restraining prayer, we cease to fight ; 
Prayer makes t he Christian armor bright ; 
And Satan trembles when he sees 
The meanest saint, upon his knees." 

H In the Spirit. By the aid of the Holy 
Spirit; or perhaps it may mean that 
it is not to be prayer of form merely, 
but when the Spirit* and the heart ac- 
company it. The former idea seems, 
however, to be the correct one. ^And 
watching thereunto. Watching for op- 
portunities to pray ; watching for the 
spirit of prayer; watching against all 
those things which would hinder 
prayer. See Notes on Matt. xxvi. 38, 
41. Comp. 1 Pet. i v. 7. f With all per- 
| severance. Never becoming discour- 



124 



EPHESIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



perseverance and supplication for 
all saints ; 
19 And for a rne, that utterance 

a 2 Thess. 3. l.» 

aged and disheartened. Cornp. Notes 
on Luke xviii. 1. 1J And supplication 
for all saints. For all Christians. We 
should do this (1.) because they are 
our brethren— though they may have 
a different skin, language, or name. | 
(2.) Because, like us, they have hearts 
prone to evil, and need, with us, the 
grace of God. (3.) Because nothing 
tends so much to make us love oth- j 
ers and to forget their faults as to pray, 
for them. (4.) Because the condition 
of the Church is always such that it 
greatly needs the grace of God. Many 
Christians have backslidden; many 
are cold or lukewarm ; many are in | 
error; many are conformed to the 
world ; and we should pray that they 
may become more holy, and may de- 
vote themselves more to God. (5.) 
Because each day many a Christian is j 
subjected to some peculiar tempta- j 
tion or trial, and, though he may be j 
unknown to us, yet our prayers may 
benefit him. (6.) Because each day 
and each night many Christians die. 
We ma} 7 reflect each night, as we lie j 
down to rest, that while we sleep some 
Christians are kept awake by the pros- 
pect of death, and are now passing 
through the dark valley; and each 
morning we may reflSct that to-day 
some Christian will die — and we 1 
should remember them before God. , 
(7.) Because we shall soon die, and it 
will be a comfort to us if we can re- 
member then that we have often prayed i 
for dying saints, and if we may feel j 
that they are praying for us. 

19. And for me. Paul was then a 
prisoner at Rome. He specially need- 
ed the prayers of Christians (1.) that 
he might be sustained in his afflictions, 
and (2. ) that he might be able to man- 
ifest the spirit which he ought, and to 
do good as he had opportunity. Learn 
hence that we should pray for the pris- 
oner, the captive, the man in chains, 
the slave. There are in this land con- 
stantly not far from ten thousand pris- 
oners — husbands, fathers, sons, broth- 
ers; or wives, mothers, daughters. 
True, they are the children of crime, 
but they are also the children of sor- 
row; and in either case, or both, they 
need our prayers. H That utterance 
may be given unto me. Paul, though a 



may be given unto me, that I may 
open my mouth boldly, to make 
known the mystery of the Gospel, 



prisoner, was permitted to preach the 
Gospel. See Notes on Acts xxviii. 30, 
31. T[ That I may open my mouth boldly. 
He was in Rome. He was almost 
alone. He was surrounded by multi- 
tudes of the wicked. He was exposed 
to death. Yet he desired to speak 
boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
and to invite sinners to repentance. 
A Christian in chains, and surrounded 
by the wicked, may speak boldly, and 
may have hope of success; for Paul 
was not an unsuccessful preacher even 
when a captive at Rome. See Notes 
on Phil. iv. 22. If The mystery of the 
Gospel. See Notes on ch. i. 9. 

20. For ivhich I am an ambassador in 
bonds. In chains (see the margin), or 
in confinement. Comp. Acts xxi v. 23 ; 
xxvii. 3; xxviii. 16. There is some- 
thing peculiarly touching in this. He 
was an ambassador — sent to proclaim 
peace to a lost world. But he was 
now in chains. An ambassador is a 
sacred character. No greater affront 
can be given to a nation than to put 
its ambassadors to death, or Qftn to 
throw them into prison. But Paul 
says here that the unusual spectacle 
was witnessed of an ambassador seized, 
bound, confined, imprisoned ; an am- 
bassador who ought to have the priv- 
ileges conceded to all such men, and 
to be permitted to go every where, 
publishing the terms of mercy and sal- 
vation. See the word ambassador ex- 
plained in the Notes on 2 Cor. v. 20. 
H That therein. Marg. , or thereof. Gr. , 
kv nvTtp — in it; that is, says Rosenmiil- 
ler, in the Gospel. It means, that in 
speaking the Gospel he might be bold. 
1 I may speak boldly. Openly, plainly, 
without fear. See Notes on Acts iv. 
13; ix. 27; xiii. 46; xiv. 3; xviii. 26; 
xix. 8; xxvi. 26. ^As I ought to speak. 
Whether in bonds or at large. Paul 
felt that the Gospel ought always to 
be spoken with plainness, and without 
the fear of man. It is remarkable that 
he did not ask them to pray that he 
might be released. Why he did not 
we do not know; but perhaps the de- 
sire of release did not lie so near his 
heart as the duty of speaking the Gos- 
pel with boldness. It may be of much 
more importance that we perform our 
duty aright when we are afflicted, or 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



125 



20 For which I am an ambassa- 
dor in bonds ; x that 2 therein I may 
speak boldly, as I ought a to speak. 

21 But that ye also may know 
my affairs, and how I do, Tychi- 
cus, b a beloved brother and faith- 
ful minister in the Lord, shall 
make known to you all things : 

22 Whom c I have sent unto you 
for the same purpose, that ye might 

1 or, in a chain. 2 or, thereof, 

a Is*. 58. 1. b Acts 20. 4. c Col. 4. 7, 8. 

are in trouble, than that we should be 
released. 

21. But that ye may know my affairs. 
May understand my condition, my 
feelings, and in what I am engaged; 
To them it could not but be a subject 
of deep interest. H And how I do. Gr., 
" What I do ;" that is, how I am em- 
ployed. ^Tychicus. Tychicus was 
of the province of Asia, in Asia Minor, 
of which Ephesus was the capital. 
See Acts xx. 4. It is not improbable 
that he was from Ephesus, and that 
he was well known to the Church- 
there. He also carried the letter to 
the Colossians (Col. iv. 7), and proba- 
bly the Second Epistle to Timothy. 
2 Tim. iv. 12. Paul also proposed to 
send him to Crete to succeed Titus. 
Tit. iii. 12. He was high in the confi- 
dence of Paul, but it is not known 
when he was converted, or why he 
was now at Rome. The Greeks speak 
of him as one of the seventy disciples, 
and make him bishop of Colophon, in 
the province of Asia. 

22. Whom I have se?it unto you. The 
churches where Paul had preached 
would feel a great interest in his wel- 
fare. He was a prisoner at Rome, and 
it was doubtful what the result would 
be. In this situation, he felt it prop- 
er to dispatch a special messenger to 
give information about his condition ; 
to state what he was doing in Rome ; 
to ask the prayers of the churches ; 
and to administer consolation to them 
in their various trials. The same sen- 
timent in regard to the embassy of 
Tychicus is expressed in the Epistle 
to the Colossians. Ch. iv. 7, 8. No 
small part of the consolation which 
he would impart to them would be 
found in these invaluable letters which 
he bore to them from the apostle. 



know our affairs, and that he might 
comfort your hearts. 

23 Peace d be to the brethren, and 
love with faith, from God the Fa- 
ther, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

24 Grace he with all them that 
love our Lord Jesus Christ 1 in sin- 
cerity. Amen. 

Written from Rome unto the 
Ephesians by Tychicus. 

d 1 Pet. 5. 14. 1 or, with incorruptian. 



23. Peace be to the brethren. The 
epistle is closed with the usual salu- 
tations. The expression "peace to you^ 
was the common form of salutation 
in the East (see Notes on Matt. x. 13. 
Comp. Luke xxiv. 36. Rom. xv. 33. 
Gal. vi. 16. 1 Pet. v. 14. 3 John 14), 
and is still the "salam" which is used — 
the word salam meaning peace. *^And 
love with faith. Love united with faith ; 
not only desiring that they might have 
faith, but the faith which worked by 
love. ^ From God the Father and the 
Lord Jesus Christ. The Father and 
the Son are regarded as equally the 
author of peace and love. Compare 
Notes on 2 Cor. xiii. 14. 

24. Grace be, etc. See Notes on 
Rom. xvi. 20. ^ That love our Lord Je- 
sus Christ. See Notes on 1 Cor. xvi. 
22. *f| Ln sincerity. Marg. , with incor- 
ruption. With a pure heart ; without 
dissembling; without hypocrisy. 
There could not be a more appropri- 
ate close of the epistle than such a 
wish; there will be nothing more * 
needful for us when we come to the 
close of life than the consciousness 
that we love the Lord Jesus Christ in 
sincerity. To writer and reader may 
this be equally the inestimable conso- 
lation then ! Better, far better then 
will be the evidence of such sincere 
love than all the wealth which toil can 
gain, all the honors which the world 
can bestow — than the most splendid 
mansion, or the widest fame. 

The subscription to this epistle, like 
those affixed to the other epistles, is 
of no authority, but in this instance 
there is every reason to believe that 
it is correct. Comp. Notes at the end 
of the Epistle to the Romans and 1 
Corinthians. 



NOTES, 

EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, 

ON THE 

EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 

By ALBERT BARNES. 



INTRODUCTION. 



§ 1. The Situation of Philippi. 

Philippi is mentioned in the New Testament only in the following 
places and connections. In Acts xvi. 11, 12, it is said that Paul and 
his fellow-travelers " loosed from Troas, came with a straight course to 
Samothracia and Neapolis, and from thence to Philippi." It was at 
this time that the " Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the 
things which were spoken by Paul," and that the jailer was converted 
under such interesting circumstances. In Acts xx. 1-6, it appears that 
Paul again visited Philippi after he had been to Athens and Corinth, 
and when on his way to Judea. From Philippi he went to Troas. In 
1 Thess. ii. 2, Paul alludes to the shameful treatment which he had re- 
ceived at Philippi, and to the fact that, having been thus treated, he 
had passed to Thessalonica, and preached the Gospel there. 

Philippi received its name from Philip, the father of Alexander the 
Great. Before his time its history is unknown. It is said that it was 
founded on the site of an old Thasian settlement, and that its former 
name was Crenides, from the circumstance of its being surrounded by 
numerous rivulets and springs descending from the neighboring moun- 
tains (fvov%Kpr)vr) — Icrene, a spring). The city was also called Dathos, 
or Datos — Adrog. See Notes on Acts xvi. 12. The Thasians, who in- 
habited the island of Thasus, lying off the coast in the iEgean Sea, had 
been attracted to the place by the valuable mines of gold and silver 
which were found in that region. It w T as a city of Macedonia, to the 
northeast of Arftphipolis, and nearly east of Thessalonica. It was not 
far from the borders of Thrace. It was about fifteen or twenty miles 
from the iEgean Sea, in the neighborhood of Mount Pangaeus, and had 
a small river or stream running near it which emptied into the iEgean 
Sea. Of the size of the city when the Gospel was preached there by 
Paul we have no information. 

This city was originally within the limits of Thrace. Philip of 
Macedon having turned his attention to Thrace, the situation of Cren- 
ides and Mount Pangseus naturally attracted his notice. Accordingly, 
he invaded this country ; expelled the feeble Cotys from his throne, 
and then proceeded to found a new city on the site of the old Thasian 
colony, which he called after his own name, Philippi. — Anthon. Class. 
Diet. When Macedonia became subject to the Romans, the advan- 
tages attending the situation of Philippi induced that people to send 
a colony there,, and it became one of the most flourishing cities of the 
empire. Comp. Acts xvi. 12; Pliny, iv. 10. There is a medal of this 
city with the following inscription : Col. Jul. Aug. Phil. ; from which 
it appears that there was a colony sent there bv Julius Csesar. — Michae- 
F 2 



cxxx 



INTRODUCTION. 



lis. The city derived considerable importance from the fact that it 
was a principal thoroughfare from Asia to Europe, as the great lead- 
ing road from one continent to the other was in the vicinity. This 
road is described at length by Appian, De Bell. Civ., 1. iv., c. 105, 106. 

This city is celebrated in history from the fact that it was hete that 
a great victory — deciding the fate of the Roman Empire— was ob- 
tained by Octavianus (afterward Augustus Caesar) and Antony over 
the forces of Brutus and Cassius, by which the republican party was 
completely subdued. In this battle, Cassius, who was hard pressed 
and defeated by Antony, and who supposed that every thing was lost, 
slew himself in despair. Brutus deplored his death with tears of the 
sincerest sorrow, calling him "the last of the Romans. 1 ' After an in- 
terval of twenty days Brutus hazarded a second battle. Where he 
himself fought in person he was successful ; but the army every where 
else gave way, and the battle terminated in the entire defeat of the 
republican party. Brutus escaped with a few friends, passed a night 
in a cave, and, seeing that all was irretrievably lost, ordered Strato, 
one of his attendants, to kill him. Strato for a long time refused ; 
but, seeing Brutus resolute, he turned away his face, and held his 
sword, and Brutus fell upon it. The city of Philippi is often men- 
tioned by the Byzantine writers in history. Its ruins still retain the 
name of Filibah. Two American missionaries visited these ruins in 
May, 1834. They saw the remains of what might have been the forum 
or market-place, where Paul and Silas were beaten (Acts xvi. 19), and 
also the fragments of a splendid palace. The road by which Paul 
went from Neapolis to Philippi, they think, is the same that is now 
traveled, as it is cut through the most difficult passes in the mountains. 
It is still paved throughout. 

§ 2. The Establishment of the Church in Philippi* 

Philippi was the first place in Europe where the Gospel was preached, 
and this fact invests the place with more interest and importance than 
it derives from the battle fought there. The Gospel was first preached 
here, in very interesting circumstances, by Paul and Silas. Paul had 
been called by a remarkable vision (Acts xvi. 9) to go into Macedonia, 
and the first place where he preached was Philippi — having made his 
way, as his custom was, directly to the capital. The first person to 
whom he preached was Lydia, a seller of purple, from Thyatira, in 
Asia Minor. She was converted, and received Paul and Silas into her 
house, and entertained them hospitably. In consequence of Paul's 
casting out an evil spirit from a " damsel possessed of a spirit of divi- 
nation," by which the hope of gain by those who kept her in their 
employ was destroyed, the populace was excited, and Paul and Silas 
were thrown into the inner prison, and their feet were made fast in 
the stocks. Here, at midnight, God interposed in a remarkable man- 
ner. An earthquake shook the prison ; their bonds were loosened ; 
the doors of the prison were thrown open, and their keeper, who be- 
fore had treated them with peculiar severity, was converted, and all 
his family were baptized. It was in such solemn circumstances that 
the Gospel was first introduced into Europe. After the tumult, and 
the conversion of the jailer, Paul was honorably released, and soon 



INTRODUCTION. 



cxxxi 



left the city. Acts xvi. 40. He subsequently visited Macedonia be- 
fore his imprisonment at Rome, and doubtless went to PhiHppi (Acts 
xx. 1, 2). It is supposed that after his first imprisonment at Rome he 
was released, and again visited the churches which he had founded. 
In this epistle (chap. i. 25, 26 ; ii. 24) he expresses a confident hope 
that he would be released, and would be permitted to see them again, 
and there is a probability that his wishes in regard to this were ac- 
complished. See Introd. to 2 Timothy. 

§ 3. The Time when the Epistle teas written. 
It is evident that this epistle was written from Rome. This appears, 
(1.) because it was composed when Paul was in "bonds" (chap. i. 13, 
14) ; (2.) because circumstances are suggested such as to leave no 
doubt that the imprisonment was at Rome. Thus, in chap. i. 13, he 
says that his "bonds were manifested in all the palace ;" a phrase 
which would naturally suggest the idea of the Roman Capitol ; and 
in chap. iv. 22, he says, " All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are 
of Omar's household." It is further evident that it was after he had 
been imprisoned for a considerable time, and, probably, not long be- 
fore his release. This appears from the following circumstances : (1.) 
He had been a prisoner so long in Rome that the character which he 
had manifested in his trials had contributed considerably to the suc- 
cess of the Gospel. Chap. i. 12-14. His bonds, he says, were manifest 
" in all the palace," and many of the brethren had become increasingly 
bold by his " bonds," and had taken occasion to preach the Gospel 
without fear. (2.) The account given of Epaphroditus imports that, 
when Paul wrote this epistle, he had been a considerable time at Rome. 
He was with Paul in Rome, and had been sick there. The Philippians 
had received an account of his sickness, and he had again been in- 
formed how much they had been affected with the intelligence of his 
illness. Chap. ii. 25, 26. The passing and repassing of this intelli- 
gence, Dr. Paley remarks, must have occupied considerable time, and 
must have all taken place during Paul's residence at Rome. (3.) After 
a residence at Rome, thus proved to have been of considerable dura- 
tion, Paul, at the time of writing this epistle, regards the decision of 
his destiny as at hand. He anticipates that the matter would soon be 
determined. Chap. ii. 23 : " Him therefore (Timothy) I hope to send 
presently, so soon as I see how it will go with me." He had some ex- 
pectation that he might be released and be permitted to visit them 
again. Chap. ii. 24 : "I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come 
shortly." Comp. chap. i. 25, 27. Yet he was not absolutely certain 
how it would go with him, and though, in one place, he speaks with 
great confidence that he would be released (chap. i. 25), yet in another 
lie suggests the possibility that he might be put to death. Chap. ii. 
17 : "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your 
faith, I joy and rejoice with you all." These circumstances concur to 
fix the time of writing the epistle to the period at which the imprison- 
ment in Rome was about to terminate. From Acts xxviii. 30, we learn 
that Paul was in Rome " two whole years ;" and it was during the lat- 
ter part of this period that the epistle was written. It is commonly 
agreed, therefore, that it was written about A.D. 61 or 62. Hug (In- 



cxxxii 



INTRODUCTION. 



trod.) places it at the end of trie year 61, or the beginning of the year 
62 ; Lardner at the close of the year 62. It is evident that it was 
written before the great conflagration at Rome in the time of Nero 
(A.D. 64), for it is hardly credible that Paul would have omitted a 
reference to such an event if it had occurred. It is certain, from the 
persecution of the Christians which followed that event, that he would 
not have been likely to have represented his condition to be so favor- 
able as he has done in this epistle. He could hardly have looked 
then for a release. 

§ 4. The Design and Character of the Epistle. 

The object of the epistle is apparent. It was sent by Epaphroditus 
(chap. ii. 25), who appears to have been a resident at Philippi, and a 
member of the Church there, to express the thanks of the apostle for 
the favors which they had conferred on him, and to comfort them 
with the hope that he might be soon set at liberty. Epaphroditus 
had been sent by the Philippians to convey their benefactions to him 
in the time of his imprisonment. Chap. iv. 18. While at Rome he 
had been taken ill. Chap. ii. 26, 27. On his recovery, Paul deemed 
it proper that he should return at once to Philippi. It was natural 
that he should give them some information about his condition and 
prospects. A considerable part of the epistle, therefore, is occupied in 
giving an account of the effects of his imprisonment in promoting the 
spread of the Gospel, and of his own feelings in the circumstances in 
which he then was. He was not yet certain what the result of his im- 
prisonment would be (chap. i. 20), but he was prepared either to live 
or to die, chap. i. 23. He wished to live only that he might be useful 
to others ; and, supposing that he might be made useful, he had some 
expectation that he might be released from his bonds. 

There is, perhaps, no one of the epistles of the apostle Paul which is 
so tender, and which abounds so much with expressions of kindness, 
as this. In relation to other churches, he was often under the necessity 
of using the language of reproof. The prevalence of some error, as in 
the churches of Galatia ; the existence of divisions and strifes, or some 
aggravated case requiring discipline, or some gross irregularity, as in 
the. Church at Corinth, frequently demanded the language of severity. 
But in the Church at Philippi there was scarcely any thing which re- 
quired rebuke ; there was very much that demanded commendation 
and gratitude. Their conduct towards him, and their general de- 
portment, had been exemplary, generous, noble. They had evinced 
for him the tenderest regard in his troubles — providing for his wants, 
sending a special messenger to supply him when no other opportunity 
occurred (chap. iv. 10), and sympathizing with him in his trials; and 
they had, in the order, peace, and harmony of the Church, eminently 
adorned the doctrine of the Saviour. The language of the apostle, 
therefore, throughout the epistle, is of the most affectionate character 
— such as a benevolent heart would always choose to employ, and 
such as must have been exceedingly grateful to them. Paul never 
hesitated to use the language of commendation where it was deserved, 
as he never shrank from reproof where it was merited, and he appears 
to have regarded the one as a matter of duty as much as the other. 



INTRODUCTION. 



cxxxiii 



We are to remember, too, the circumstances of Paul, and to ask what 
kind of an epistle an affectionate and grateful spiritual father would 
be likely to write to a much-beloved flook when he felt that he was 
about to die, and we shall find that this is just such an epistle as we 
should suppose such a man would write. It breathes the spirit of a 
ripe Christian, whose piety was mellowing for the harvest ; of one who 
felt that he was not far from heaven, and might soon " be with Christ." 
Though there was some expectation of a release, yet his situation was 
such as led him to look detth in the face. He was lying under heavy 
accusations ; he had no hope of justice from his own countrymen ; the 
character of the sovereign, Nero, was not such as to inspire him with 
great confidence of having justice done ; and it is possible that the 
fires of persecution had already begun to burn. At the mercy of such 
a man as Nero ; a prisoner ; among strangers, and with death staring 
him in the face, it is natural to suppose that there would be a peculiar 
solemnity, tenderness, pathos, and ardor of affection breathing through 
the entire epistle. Such is the fact ; and in none of the writings of 
Paul are these qualities more apparent than in this letter to the Phil- 
ippians. He expresses his grateful remembrance of all their kindness ; 
he evinces a tender regard for their welfare ; and he pours forth the 
full-flowing language of gratitude, and utters a father's feelings toward 
them by tender and kind admonitions. It is important to remember 
these circumstances in the interpretation of this epistle. It breathes 
the language of a father rather than the authority of an apostle ; the 
entreaties of a friend rather than the commands of one in authority. 
It expresses the affections of a man who felt that he might be near 
death, and who tenderly loved them ; and it will be, to all ages, a 
model of affectionate counsel and advice. 



EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAUL and Timotheus, the serv- 
ants of Jesus Christ, to all the 



CHAPTER I. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter embraces the follow- 
ing points : 

I. The salutation to the Church. 
Ver. 1, 2. 

II. In ver. 3-8, the apostle expresses 
his gratitude for the evidence which 
they had given of love to God, and for 
their fidelity in the Gospel from the 
time when it was first proclaimed 
among them. He says that he was 
confident that this would continue, 
and that God, who had so mercifully 
imparted grace to them to be faithful, 
would do it to the end. 

III. He expresses the earnest hope 
that they might abound more and 
more in knowledge, and be without 
offence to the day of Christ. Ver. 9 
-11. 

IV. In ver. 12-21, he states to them 
what had been the effect of his im- 
prisonment in Rome — presuming that 
il^would be gratifying to them to know 
that even his imprisonment had been 
overruled for the spread of the Gos- 
pel. His trials, he says, had been the 
means of the extension of the knowl- 
edge of Christ even in the palace, and 
many Christians had been emboldened 
by his sufferings to increased diligence 
in making known the truth. Some, 
indeed, he says, preached Christ from 
unworthy motives, and with a view to 

* increase his affliction, but in the great 
fact that Christ was preached in any 
way, he rejoiced. Forgetting himself, 
and any injury which they might de- 
sign to do to him, he could sincerely 
rejoice that the Gospel was proclaimed 
—no matter by whom, or with what 
motives. The whole affair, he trusted, 
would be made conducive to his sal- 
vation. Christ was the great end and 
aim of his life; and if Christ was made 
known, every thing else was of minor 
importance. 



saints in Christ Jesus which are 
at Philippi, a with the bishops and 
deacons : 

a Acts 16. 12, etc. 

V. The mention of the fact (ver. 
21) that his great aim in living was 
"Christ," leads him to advert to the 
probability that he might soon be with 
him. Ver. 22-26. So great was his wish 
to be with him, that he would hardly 
know which to choose— whether to 
die at once, or to live and to make 
him known to others. Believing, 
however, that his life might be still 
useful to them, he had an expectation 
amounting to considerable confidence 
that his lite would be spared, and that 
he would be released. 

VI. The chapter closes, ver. 27-30, 
with an earnest exhortation that they 
would live as became the Gospel of 
Christ. Whatever might befall him 
— whether he should be permitted to 
see them, or should hear of them, he 
entreated that he might know that 
they were living as became the Gos- 
pel. They were not to be afraid of 
their adversaries ; and if called to suf- 
fer, they were to remember that "it 
was given" them not only to believe 
on the Redeemer, but also to suffer in 
his cause. 

1. Paul and Timotheus. Paul fre- 
quently unites some person with him 
in his epistles. See Notes on 1 Cor. i. 
1. It is clear from this that Timothy 
was with Paul at Rome. Why he was- 
there is unknown. It is evident that 
he was not there as a prisoner with 
Paul, and the probability is that he 
was one of the friends who had gone 
to Rome with a view to show his 
sympathy with him in his sufferings. 
Comp. Notes on 2 Tim. iv. 9. There 
was special propriety in the fact that 
Timothy was joined with the apostle 
in writing the epistle, for he was with 
him when the Church was founded, 
and doubtless felt a deep interest in 
its welfare. Acts xvi. Timothy had 
remained in Macedonia after Paul went 
to Athens, and it is not improbable 



136 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



that he had visited the Church at Phi- 
lippi afterwards. ^ The servants of Je- 
sus Christ. See Notes on Rom. i. 1. 
If To all the saints in Christ Jesus. The 
common appellation given to the 
Church, denoting that it was holy. 
See Notes on Rom. i. 7. ^With the 
bishops — avv kiTLCKOTroL's. See Notes on 
Acts xx. 28. The word here used oc- 
curs in the New Testament only in the 
following places. Acts xx. 28, trans- 
lated overseers ; and Phil. i. 1. 1 Tim. 
iii. 2. Tit. i. 7. 1 Pet. iii. 25, in each 
of which places it is rendered bishop. 
The word properly means an inspector, 
overseer, or guardian, and was given to 
the ministers of the Gospel because 
they exercised this care over the 
churches, or were appointed to oversee 
their interests. It is a term, therefore, 
which might be given to any of the 
officers of the Church, and was orig- 
inally equivalent to the term presbyter. 
It is evidently used in this 1 sense here. 
It can not be used to denote a diocesan 
bishop, or a bishop having the care of 
the churches in a large district of 
country, and of a rank superior to oth- 
er ministers of the Gospel, for the 
word is here used in the plural num- 
ber, and it is in the highest degree im- 
probable that there were dioceses in 
Philippi. It is clear, moreover, that 
they were the only officers of the 
Church there except "deacons;" and 
the persons referred to, therefore, 
must have been those who were in- 
vested simply with the pastqral office. 
Thus Jerome, one of the early fathers, 
says, respecting the word bishop : "A 
presbyter is the same as a bishop. And 
until there arose divisions in religion, 
churches were governed by a common 
council of presbyters ; but afterwards, 
it was every where decreed that one 
person, elected from the presbyters, 
should be placed over the others." 
"Philippi," says he, "is a single city 
of Macedonia; and certainly there 
could not have been several like these 
who are now called bishops at one 
time in the same city ; but as, at that 
time, they called the same bishops 
whom they called presbyters also, the 
apostles spoke indifferently of bishops 
as of presbyters." — Annotations on 
the Epistle to Titus, as quoted by Dr. 
Woods on Episcopacy, p. 63. U And 
deacons. On the appointment of dea- 
cons, and their duty, see Notes on 
Acts vi. 1. The word deacons does not 
occur before this place in the common 



version of the New Testament, though 
the Greek word here rendered deacon 
frequently occurs. It is rendered min- 
ister and ministers in Matthew xx. 26. 
Mark x. 43. Rom.xiii.4; xv. 8. ICor. 
iii. 5. 2 Cor. iii. 6; vi. 4; xi. 15, 23. 
Gal. ii. 17. Eph. iii. 7 ; vi. 21. Col. i. 
7, 23, 25 ; iv. 7. 1 Tim. iv. 6 ; servant 
and servants, Matt. xxii. 13 ; xxiii. 11. 
Mark ix. 35. John ii. 5, 9; xii. 26. 
Rom. xvi. 1; and deacon or deacons, 
Phil. i. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 8, 12. The word 
properly means servants, and is then 
applied to the minist ers of the Gospel 
as being the servants of Christ and of 
the churches. Hence it came espe- 
cially to denote those who had charge 
of the alms of the Church, and who 
were the overseers of the sick and the 
poor. In this sense the word4s prob- 
ably used in the passage before us, as 
the officers here referred to were dis- 
tinct in some way from the bishops. 
The apostle here mentions but two 
orders of ministers in the Church at 
Philippi, and this account is of great 
importance in its bearing on the ques- 
tion about the way in which Christian 
churches were at first organized, and 
about the officers which existed in 
them. In regard to this we may re- 
mark, (1.) That but two orders of min- 
isters are mentioned. This is unde- 
niable, whatever rank they may have 
held. (2.) There is no intimation 
whatever that a minister like a prelat- 
ical bishop had ever been appointed 
there, and that the incumbent of the 
office was absent, or that the office 
was now vacant. If the bishop was 
I absent, as Bloomfield and others sup- 
pose, it is remarkable that no allusion 
is made to him, and that Paul should 
have left the impression that there 
were, in fact, but two "orders" there. 
If there were a prelate there, why did 
not Paul refer to him with affection- 
ate salutations ? Why does he refer 
to the two other "orders of clergy" 
without the slightest allusion to the 
man who was set over them as "su- 
perior in ministerial rank and power?" 
W r as Paul jealous of this prelate ? But 
if they had a prelate, and the see was 
then vacant, why is there no reference 
to this fact? Why no condolence at 
their loss ? Why no prayer that God 
would send them a man to enter into 
the vacant diocese? It is a mere as- 
sumption to suppose, as the friends 
of prelacy often do, that they had a 
prelatical bishop, but that he was then 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



137 



2 Grace a be unto you, and peace, 
from God our Father and from 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 



1 or, mention. 



absent. But, even granting this, it is 
an inquiry which has never been an- 
swered why Paul did not make some 
reference to this fact, and ask their 
prayers for the absent prelate. (3.) 
The Church was organized by the 
apostle Paul himself, and there can be 
no doubt that it was organized on the 
"truly primitive and apostolic plan." 
(4.) The Church at Philippi was in the 
centre of a large territory, for Philippi 
was the capital of Macedonia, and the 
Church there was not likely to be 
placed in subjection to the diocesan 
of another region. (5.) It was sur- 
rounded by other churches, as we have 
express mention of the Church at 
Thessalonica, and the preaching of the 
Gospel at Berea. Actsxvii. (6.) There 
is more than one bishop mentioned as 
connected with the Church in Philip- 
pi. But these could not have been 
bishops of the Episcopal or prelatical 
order, If Episcopalians choose to say 
that they were prelates, then it follows 
(a) that there was a plurality of such 
persons in the same diocese, the same 
city, and the same Church, which is 
contrary to the fundamental idea of 
Episcopacy. It follows also (b) that 
there was entirely wanting in the 
Church at Philippi what the Episco- 
palians call the "second order" of 
clergy; that a Church was organized 
by the apostles defective in one of the 
essential grades, with a body of prel- 
ates without presbyters — that is, an 
order of men of "superior" rank des- 
ignated to exercise jurisdiction over 
"priests" who had no existence. If 
there were such presbyters or "priests" 
there, why did not Paul name them ? 
If their office was one that was con- 
templated in the Church, and was then 
vacant, how did this happen ? And if 
this were so, why is there no allusion 
to so remarkable a fact? (7.) It fol- 
lows, therefore, that in this Church 
there were but two orders of officers ; 
and, further, that it is right and prop- 
er to apply the term bishop to the or- 
dinary ministers of the churches. As 
no mention is made of a prelate; as 
there are but two orders of men men- 
tioned to whom the care of the Church 
was intrusted, it follows that there was 
one Church at least organized by the 



3 I thank my God upon every 1 
remembrance of y ou, 

4 Always in every prayer 1 of 

JEphes. 1.14, etc. lThess.1.2. 



apostles without any prelate. (8.) The 
same thing may be observed in regard 
to the distinction between ' ' teaching' ' 
elders and "ruling" elders. No such 
distinction is referred to here ; and 
however useful such an office as that 
of ruling elder may be, and certain as 
it is that such an office existed in some 
of the primitive churches, yet here is 
one Church where no such officer is 
found, and this fact proves that such 
an officer is not essential to the Chris- 
tian Church. 

2. Grace be unto you, etc. See Notes 
on Rom. i. 7. 

3. 1 thank my God upon every remem- 
brance of you. Marg., mention. The 
Greek word means recollection, remem- 
brance. But this recollection may have 
been suggested either by his own re- 
flections on what he had seen, or by 
what he had heard of them by others, 
or by the favors which they conferred 
on him reminding him of them. The 
meaning is, that as often as he thought 
on them, from whatever cause, he had 
occasion of thankfulness. He says that 
he thanked his God, intimating that 
the conduct of the Philippians was a 
proof of the favor of God t o him ; that 
is, he regarded their piety as one of 
the tokens of the favor of God to his 
own soul, for in producing that piety 
he had been mainly instrumental. 

4. Always. There is much emphasis 
in the expressions which are here used. 
Paul labors to show them that he never 
forgot them ; that he always remem- 
bered them in his prayers. ^ In every 
prayer of mine. This was a proof of 
particular and special affection, that 
while there were so many objects de- 
manding his prayers, and so many oth- 
er churches which he had founded, he 
never forgot them. The person or ob- 
ject that w r e remember in every prayer 
must be very dear to the heart. ^For 
you all. Not for the Church in gen- 
eral, but for the individual members. 
"He industriously repeats the word 
all, that he might show that he loved 
them all equally well, and that he 
might the more successfully excite 
them to the manifestation of the same 
love and benevolence." — Wetstein. 
If Making request with joy. With joy at 
your consistent walk and benevolent 



138 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



mine for you all making request 
with joy, 

lives — mingling thanksgiving with my 
prayers in view of your holy walk. 

5. For your fellowship in the Gospel. 
"For your liberality towards me, a 
preacher of the Gospel." — Wetstein. 
There has been, however, no little dif- 
ference of opinion about the meaning 
of this phrase. Many — as Doddridge,- 
Koppe, and others — suppose that it 
refers to the fact that they participated 
in the blessings of the Gospel from 
the first day that he preached it until 
the time when he wrote this epistle. 
Others suppose that it refers to their 
constancy in the Christian faith. Oth- 
ers — as Pierce, Michaelis, Wetstein, 
/Bloomfield, and Storr — suppose that 
/ it refers to their liberality in contrib- 
j uting to the support of the Gospel; 
/ to their participating with others, or 
sharing what they had in common with 
others, for the maintenance of the 
Gospel. That this is the true sense 
seems apparent, (1.) because it accords 
with the scope of the epistle, and with 
what the apostle elsewhere says of 
their benefactions. He speaks partic- 
ularly of their liberality, and, indeed, 
this was one of the principal occasions 
of his writing the epistle. Ch. iv: 10- 
12, 15-18. (2.) It accords with a fre- 
quent meaning of the word rendered 
fellowship— koluoovlcc. It denotes that 
which is in common; that of which we 
participate with others, communion, 
fellowship. Acts ii. 42. 1 Cor. i. 9 ; x. 
16. Philemon 6; then it means com- 
munication, distribution, contributiori. 
Rom. xv. 26. 2 Cor. ix. 13. That it 
can not mean "accession to the Gos- 
pel," as has been supposed (see Rob., 
Lex.), is apparent from what he adds 
— "from the first day until now." 
The fellowship must have been some- 
thing constant or continually mani- 
fest ; and the general meaning is, that 
in relation to the Gospel — to its sup- 
port, and privileges, and spirit, they 
all shared in common. They felt a 
common interest in every thing that 
pertained to it, and they showed this j 
in every suitable way, and especially 
in ministering to the wants of those I 
who were appointed to preach it. ! 
II From the first day. The time when 
it was first preached to them. They i 
had been constant. This is honorable 
testimony. It is much to say of aj 
Church, or of an individual Christian, ; 



5 For your fellowship in the gos- 
pel from the first day until now ; 

that they have been constant and uni- 
form in the requirements of the Gos- 
pel. Alas, of how few can this be said ! 
On these verses (3-5) we may remark, 
(1. ) That one of the highest joys which 
a minister of the Gospel can have is 
that furnished by the holy walk of the 
people to whom he has ministered. 
Comp. 3 John 4. It is joy like that 
of a farmer when he sees his fields 
whiten for a rich harvest; like that 
of a teacher in the good conduct and 
rapid progress of his scholars; like 
that of a parent in the virtue, success, 
and piety of his sons. Yet it is supe- 
rior to all that. The interests are 
higher and more important; the re- 
sults are more far-reaching and pure; 
and the joy is more disinterested. 
Probably there is nowhere else on 
earth any happiness so pure, elevated, 
consoling, and rich, as that of a pastor 
in the piety, peace, benevolence, and 
growing zeal of his people. (2.) It is 
right to commend Christians when 
they do well. Paul never hesitated 
to do this, and never supposed that it 
would do injury. Flattery would in- 
jure; but Paul never flattered. Com- 
mendation or praise, in order to do 
good, and not to injure, should be (a) 
the simple statement of the truth ; (b) 
it should be without exaggeration ; (c) 
it should be connected with an equal 
readiness to rebuke when wrong, to 
admonish when in error, and to coun- 
sel when one goes astray. Constant 
fault-finding, scolding, or fretfulness 
does no good in a family, a school, or 
a Church. The tendency is to dis- 
hearten, to irritate, and to discourage. 
To commend a child when he does 
well may be as important, and as much 
a duty, as to rebuke him when he does 
ill. God is as careful to commend his 
people when they do well, as he is to 
rebuke them when they do wrong; 
and that parent, teacher, or pastor has 
much mistaken the path of wisdom 
who supposes it to be his duty always 
to find fault. In this world there is 
nothing that goes so far in promoting 
happiness as a willingness to be 
pleased rather than displeased ; to be 
satisfied rather than dissatisfied with 
the conduct of others. (3.) Our ab- 
sent friends should be remembered in 
our prayers. On our knees before 
God is the best place to remember 



A.D. 64.J 



CHAPTER I. 



139 



6 B e gig confident a of this very a good 0 work in you will 1 perform 
thing, that he 6 which hath begun it until the day d of Jesus Christ : 



1 or, finish. 



d 2 Pet. 3. 10. 



them. We know not their condition. 
If they are sick, we can not minister 
to their wants ; if in danger, we can 
not run to their relief; if tempted, we 
can not counsel them. But God, who 
is with them, can do all this , and it is 
an inestimable privilege thus to be 
permitted to commend them to his 
holy care and keeping. Besides, it is 
a ditty to do it. It is one way — and 
the best way — to repay their kindness. 
^ child may always be repaying the 
kindness of absent parents by suppli- 
cating the divine blessing on them j 
each morning; and a brother may | 
strengthen and continue his love for \ 
a sister, and in part repay her tender I 
love, by seeking, when far away, the ! 
divine favor to be bestowed on her. 

6. Being confident. This is strong 
language. It means to be fully and 
firmly persuaded or convinced. Part. 
Mid. voice from ttel^o), to persuade. 
Compare Luke xvi. 31: " Neither will 
they be persuaded though one rose 
from the dead;" that is, they would 
not be convinced. Acts xvii. 4. Heb. 
xi. 13. Acts xxviii. 24. -It means here 
that Paul was entirely convinced of the 
truth of what he said. It is the lan- 
guage of a man who had no doubt on 
the subject. If That he which hath be- 
f/un a good work in you. The "good 
work" here referred to can be no oth- 
er than religion, or true piety. This j 
is called the work of God, the work of j 
the Lord, or the work of Christ. John \ 
vi. 29. Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 58; xvi. 10. j 
Phil. ii. 30. Paul affirms here that that j 
work was begun by God. It was not I 
by their own agency or will. Comp. I 
Notes on John i. 13. It was on the 
fact that it was begun by God that 
Paul based his firm conviction that it 
would be permanent. Had it been the 
agency of man, he would have had no 
such conviction, for nothing that man 
does to-day can lay the foundation of 
a certain conviction that he will do the 
same thing to-morrow. If the perse- 
verance of the Christian depended 
wholly on himself, therefore, there 
could be no sure evidence that he 
would ever reach heaven. % Will per- 
form it. Marg., "or, finish". The 
Greek word ettlte\((xel means that he 
would carry it forward to completion ; 
he would perfect it. It is an intensive 



form of the word, meaning that it 
would be carried through to the- end. 
It occurs in the following places: 
Luke xiii. 32, " I do cures ;" Rom. xv. 
28, "when I have performed this;" 2 
Cor. vii. 1, " perfecting holiness ;" viii. 
6, "so he would also finish in you;" 
ver. 11, "perform the doing of it ;" Gal. 
iii. 3, " are ye now made perfect by the 
flesh;" Heb. viii. 5, "when he was 
about to make the tabernacle;" ix. 6, 
" accomplishing this service;" and 1 
Peter v. 9, "are accomplished in your 
brethren." The word occurs nowhere 
else; and it here means that God would 
carry on the work which he had begun 
to completion. He would not leave it 
unfinished. It would not be com- 
menced and then abandoned. This 
would or could be "performed" or 
" finished" only (1.) by keeping them 
from falling from grace, and (2.) by 
their ultimate entire perfection. \ Un- 
til the day of Jesus Christ. The da} T 
when Christ shall so manifest himself 
as to be the great attractive object, or 
the day when he shall come to glorify 
himself, so that it may be said emphat- 
ically to be his day. That day is often 
called u his day," or "the day of the 
Lord," because it will be the day of 
his triumph and glory. It refers here 
to the day when the Lord Jesus will 
appear to receive his people to him- 
self—the day of judgment. We may 
remark on this verse that Paul believed 
in the perseverance of saints. It would 
be impossible to express a stronger 
conviction of the truth of that doc- 
trine than he has done here. Language 
could not be clearer, and nothing can 
be more unequivocal than the declara- 
tion of his opinion that where God 
has begun a good work in the soul, 
that soul will not be finally lost. The 
ground of this belief he has not stated 
in full, but has merely hinted at it. It 
is based on the fact that God had be- 
gun the good work. That ground of 
belief is something like the following: 
(1.) It is in God alone. It is not in 
man in any sense. No reliance is to 
be placed on man in keeping himself. 
He is too weak; too changeable ; too 
ready to be led astray ; too much dis- 
posed to yield to temptation. (2. ) The 
reliance, therefore, is on God ; and the 
evidence that the renewed man will 



140 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



7 Even as it is meet for me to 
think this of you all, because 1 1 
have you in my heart; inasmuch 
as both in my bonds, and in the 

1 or, ye have me in your. 

be kept is this : (a) God began the work 
of grace in the soul. (&) He had a de- 
sign in it. It was deliberate, and in- 
tentional. It was not by chance or 
haphazard. It was because he had 
some object that was worthy of his in- 
terposition, (c) There is no reason 
why he should begin such a work and 
then abandon it. It can not be be- 
cause he has no power to complete it ; 
or because there are more enemies to 
be overcome than he had supposed ; 
or because there are difficulties which 
he did not foresee; or because it is 
not desirable that the work should 
be completed. Why, then, should he 
abandon it ? ($) God abandons noth- 
ing that he undertakes. There are no 
unfinished worlds or systems-, no half- 
made and forsaken works of his hands. 
There is no evidence in his works of 
creation of change of plan, or of his 
having forsaken what he began from 
disgust, or disappointment, or want 
of power to complete it. Why should 
there be in the salvation of the soul ? 
(e) He has promised to keep the re- 
newed soul to eternal life. See John 
x. 27,28,29 Heb. vi. 17-20. Compare 
Rom. viii. 29, 30. 

7. Even as it is meet for me to think 
this of you all. "There is a reason 
why I should cherish this hope of you, 
and this confident expectation that 
you will be saved. That reason is 
found in the evidence which you have 
given that you are sincere Christians. 
Having evidence of that, it is proper 
that I should believe that you will 
finally reach heaven." IT Because I have 
you in my heart. Marg. , Ye have me in 
your. The Greek w r ill bear either, 
though the former translation is the 
most obvious. The meaning is, that 
he was warmly attached to them, and 
had experienced many proofs of their 
kindness; and that there was, there- 
fore, a propriety in his wishing for 
their salvation. Their conduct to- 
wards him, moreover, in his trials, had 
convinced him that they w r ere actu- 
ated by Christian principle ; and it was 
proper that he should believe that 
they would be kept to eternal life. 
If Both in my bonds. While I have been 
a prisoner— referring to the care which 



defence a and confirmation, of the 
gospel, ye all are partakers 2 of my 
grace. 

8 For God is my record how 

a ver. 17. 2 or, with me of grace. 

they had taken to minister to his 
wants. Ch. iv. 10, 14, 18. ^And in the 
defence. Gr., apology. Probably he re- 
fers to the time when he made his de- 
fence before Nero, and vindicated him- 
self from the charges which had been 
brought against him. See notes on 2 
Tim. iv. 16. Perhaps he means here 
that on that occasion he was aban- 
doned by those who should have stood 
by him, but that the Philippians 
showed him all the attention which 
they could. It is not impossible that 
they may have sent some of their num- 
ber to sympathize with him in his 
trials, and to assure him of the una- 
bated confidence of the Church. ^And 
confirmation of the Gospel. In my ef- 
forts to defend the Gospel, and to 
make it known. See ver. 17. The al- 
lusion is probably to the fact that, in 
all his efforts to defend the Gospel, he 
had been sure of their sympathy and 
co-operation. Perhaps he refers to 
some assistance which he had derived 
from them in this cause, which is now 
to us unknown. U Ye all are partakers 
of my grace. Marg., "Or, with me of 
grace." The meaning is, that as they 
had participated w ith him in the de- 
fence of the Gospel; as in all his 
troubles and persecutions they had 
made common cause with him, so it 
followed that they would partake of 
the same tokens of the divine favor. 
He expected that the divine blessing 
w r ould follow his efforts in the cause 
of the Gospel, and he says that they 
would share in the blessing. They had 
shown all the sympathy which they 
could in his trials ; they had nobly 
stood by him wiien others forsook 
him; and he anticipated, as a matter 
of course, that they would all share in 
the benefits which would flow to him 
in his efforts in the cause of the Re- 
deemer 

8. For God is my record. My witness ; 
I can solemnly appeal to him. *\How 
greatly I long after you all. To see you ; 
and how much I desire your welfare. 
^ In the bowels of Jesus Christ. The 
w r ord " bowels," in the Scriptures, de- 
notes the upper viscera — the region 
of the heart and lungs. See Notes on 
lsa.xvi.il. That region was regarded 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



141 



greatly I long after you all in the 
bowels of Jesus Christ. 

9 And this I pray, that your love 
may abound 05 yet more and more 

a 1 Thess. 3.12. 2 Pet. 3. 18. 1 or. sense. 

as the seat of affection, sympathy, and 
compassion, as the heart is with us. 
The allusion he/e is to the S3 7 mpathy, 
tenderness, and love of the Redeemer ; 
and probably the meaning is, that Paul 
regarded them with something of the 
affection which the Lord Jesus had for 
them. This was the tenderest and 
strongest expression to which he 
could refer to illustrate the ardor of 
his attachment. 

9. And this I pray. We pray for those 
whom we love, and whose welfare we 
seek. We desire their happiness ; and 
there is no way more appropriate of 
expressing that desire than of going 
to God, and seeking it at his hand. 
Paul proceeds to enumerate the bless- 
ings which he sought for them ; and 
it is worthy of observation that he did 
not ask riches or worldly prosperity, 
but that his supplications were con- 
fined to spiritual blessings, and he 
sought these as the most desirable of 
all favors. 1 That your love may abound, 
etc. Love to God ; love to one an- 
other ; love to absent Christians ; love 
to the world. This is an appropriate 
subject of prayer. We can not wish 
and pray for a better thing for our 
Christian friends than that they may 
abound in love. Nothing will promote 
their welfare like this; and we had 
better pray for this than that they 
may obtain abundant riches, and share 
the honors and pleasures of the world. 
\In knowledge. The idea is, that he 
wished them to have intelligent affec- 
tion. It should not be mere blind af- 
fection, but that intelligent love which 
is based on an enlarged view of divine 
things — on a just apprehension of the 
claims of God. And in all judgment. 
Marg. , sense. Compare Notes on Heb. 
v. 14. The word here means thepower 
of discerning ; and the meaning is, that 
he wished that their love should be 
exercised with proper discrimination. 
It should be in proportion to the rel- 
ative value of objects ; and the mean- 
ing of the whole is, that he wished 
their religion to be intelligent and dis- 
criminating; to be based on knowl- 
edge, and a proper sense of the rela- 
tive value of objects, as well us to be 
the tender affection of the heart, 



I in knowledge and in all 1 judg- 
j ment ; 

I 10 That b ye may 2 approve things 
that are 3 excellent ; that ye may 

I b Rom. 2. 18. 2or,*ry. 3 or, differ. 

10. That ye may approve things. 
Margin, "or, try." The word used 
here denotes the kind of trial to which 
metals are exposed in order to test 
their nature; and the sense here is, 
that the apostle wished them so to try 
I the things that were of real value as 
to discern that which was true and 
genuine. ^ That are excellent. Marg., 
u or, differ." The margin here more 
correctly expresses the sense of the 
Greek word. The idea is, that he 
wished them to be able to distinguish 
between things that differed from each 
other; to have an intelligent appre- 
hension of what was right and^frong 
— of what was good and evil. He 
would not have them love and approve 
all things indiscriminately. They 
should be esteemed according to their 
real value. It is remarkable here how r 
anxious the apostle w r as, not only that 
they should be Christians, but that 
they should be intelligent Christians, 
and should understand the real worth 
and value of objects. H That ye may 
be sincere. See Notes on Eph. vi. 24. 
The word here used — siXiKpivtls— oc- 
curs nowhere else in the New Testa- 
ment except in 2 Pet. iii. 1, where it is 
rendered pure. The noun dXiKpivina, 
however, occurs in 1 Cor. v. 8 ; 2 Cor. 
i. 12 ; ii. 17 ; in all which places it is 
rendered sincerity. The word proper- 
ly means that which is judged of in 
sunshine (dXij Kpivoo), and then that 
which is clear and manifest. It is that 
over which there are no clouds ; which 
is not doubtful and dark; which is 
pure and bright. The word sincere 
means literati} 7 without wax {sine cera) ; 
that is, honey which is pure and trans- 
parent. Applied to Christian charac- 
ter, it means that which is not deceit- 
ful, ambiguous, hypocritical; that 
which is not mingled with error, 
worldliness, sin ; that which does not 
proceed from selfish and interested 
motives; and that in wiiich there is 
nothing disguised. There is no more 
desirable appellation that can be given 
to a man than to say that he is sina re 
--a sincere friend, benefactor, Chris- 
tian ; and there is nothing more love- 
Jy in the character of a Christian than 
'sincerity. It implies, (1.) that he is 



142 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



be a sincere and without offence ' stand, brethren, that the things 
till the day of Christ; I icMch happened unto me have fall- 

11 Being filled with the fruits of en out rather unto the furtherance 
righteousness, which are by Jesus i of the gospel ; 

Christ, unto the glory h and praise 13 So that my bonds 1 in Christ 
of God. j are manifest in all 2 the palace, 

12 But I would ye should under- and 3 in all other places ; . 

a Ephes. 5. 27. ' 6 Jno. 15.8. 1 or, for. 2 or, Caesar's court, c. 4.22. • 3 to all others. 

truly converted— that he has not as- to the difficulty of it is its value in his 
sumed Christianity as a mask; (2.) that sight. 

his motives are disinterested and pure ; 12. But I would ye should understand. 
(3.) that his conduct is free from dou- Paul here turns to himself, and goes 
ble-dealing, trick, and cunning; (4.) into a somewhat extended account of 
that his words express the real senti- his own feelings in his trials, and of 
ments of his heart; (5.) that he is true the effects of his imprisonment at 
to his word, and faithful to his prom- j Rome. He wished them to understand 
ises; and (6.) that he is always what what his circumstances were, and what 
he professes to be. A sincere Chris- had been the effect of his imprison- 
tian would bear to have the light let ment, probably, for such reasons as 
in np#n him always ; to have the emo- these : (1. ) They were tenderly attach- 
tions of his heart seen by all; to be ed to him, and would feel an interest 
scanned everywhere, and at all times, in all that pertained to him. (2.) It 
by men, by angels, and by God. %And w^as possible that they might have 
without offence. Literally, " 7iotcausing heard unfounded rumors abont the 
to stumble;" that is, not leading oth- manner of his treatment, and he wish- 
ers into sin; and then not made to stum- ed that they should understand the 
ble, not falling into sin, faultless. Here exact truth. (3.) He had real intelli- 
it seems to be used in the latter sense. , gence to communicate to them that 
Compare Notes on Matt. v. 29. Rom. would be joyful to them, about the ef- 
xiv. 13. 1 Cor. x. 32. If Till the day of feet of his imprisonment, and his treat- 
Christ. See Notes on ver. 6. ment there; and he wished them to 

11. Being filled ivith the fruits of 'right- rejoice with him. T[ That the things 
eousness. That which righteousness which happened unto me. The accu- 
in the heart produces. The fruits, or sations against him, and his imprison- 
results, will be seen in the life; and ment at Rome. He had been falsely 
those fruits are honesty, truth, chari- : accused, and had been constrained to 
t3 7 , kindness, meekness, goodness, j appeal to Caesar, and had been taken 
The wish of the apostle is, that they | to Rome as a prisoner. Acts xxv.- 
might show abundantly by their lives I xxviii. This arrest and imprisonment 
that they were righteous. He does j would seem to have been against his 
not refer to liberality merely, but to ' success as a preacher; but he now 
every thing which true piety in the says that the contrary had been the 
heart is fitted to produce in the life. ! fact. ^ Have fallen out. Have result- 
1 Which are by Jesus Christ. (1.) Which ed in. Literally, "have come." Tin- 
his religion is fitted to produce. (2.) j dal: "My business is happened." 
Which result from endeavoring to fol- j H The furtherance. The increase, the 
low his example. (3.) Which are pro- ! promotion of the Gospel. Instead of 
duced by his agency on the heart, being a hinderance they have been 
1" Unto the glory and praise of God. His j rather an advantage, 
honoris nevermore promoted than j 13. So that my bonds in Christ. Marg., 
by the eminent holiness of his friends. I for. The meaning is, his bonds in the 
See Notes on Johnxv. 8. If we wish, | cause of Christ. He was imprisoned 
therefore, to honor God, it should not ' because he preached Christ (see Notes 
be merely with the lips, or by acts of ! on Eph vi. 20), and was really suffer- 
prayer and praise ; it should be by a j ing because of his attachment to the 
life devoted to him. It is easy to ren- i Redeemer. It was not for crime, but 
der the service of the lips; it is far- for being a Christian-, for had he not 
more difficult to render that service been a Christian, he would have cs- 
which consists in a life of patient and j caped all this. The manner of Paul's 
consistent piety; and in proportion i imprisonment was, that he was suf- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



143 



fered to occupy a house by himself, 
though chained to a soldier who was 
his guard. Acts xxviii. 16. He was 
not in a dungeon indeed, but he was 
not at liberty, and this was a severe 
mode of confinement. Who would 
wish to be chained night and day to a 
living- witness of all that he did ; to 
a spy on all his movements ? Who 
would wish to have such a man always 
with him, to hear all he said, and to 
see all that he did ? Who could well 
•bear the feeling that he could never be 
alone, and never be at libertj 7 to do 
any thing without the permission of 
one, too, who probably had little dis- 
position to be indulgent ? Ai*e man- 
ifest. That is, it has become known 
that I am imprisoned only for the sake 
of Christ. — Grotius. The true reason 
why I am thus accused and imprisoned 
begins to be understood, and this has 
awakened sympathy for me as an in- 
jured man. They see that it is not 
for crime, but that it is on account of 
my religious opinions, and the con- 
viction of my innocence has spread 
abroad, and has produced a favorable 
impression in regard to Christian it} 7 
itself. It must have been a matter of 
much importance for Paul to have this 
knowledge of the real cause why he 
was imprisoned go abroad. Such a 
knowledge would do much to prepare 
others to listen to what he had to say 
— for there is no man to whom we 
listen more readily than to one who is 
suffering wrongfully. ^In all the pal- 
ace. Marg. , " or Caesar' s court. " G r. , 
iv o\o) too TrpcuTwplu) — in all the prceto- 
rium! This word properly denotes the 
generaVs tent in a camp; then the house 
or palace of a governor of a province ; 
then any large hall, house, or palace. 
It occurs in the New Testament only 
in the following places : Matt, xxvii. 
27, where it is rendered common hall ; 
Mark xv. 16, rendered Prwtorium; John 
xviii. 28, 33 ; xix. 9 ; Acts xxiii. 35, ren- 
dered judgment hall; and in Phil. i. 13. 
It is employed to denote (L) the pal- 
ace of Herod at Jerusalem, built with 
great magnificence at the northern 
part of the upper city, westward of the 
Temple, and overlooking the Temple ; 
(2.) the palace of Herod at Caesarea, 
which was probably occupied by the 
Roman procurator; and (3.) in the 
place before us, to denote either the 
palace of the emperor at Rome, or 
the praetorian camp, the headquarters 
of the praetorian guards- or cohorts. 



These cohorts were a body of select 
troops instituted by Augustus to guard 
his person and have charge of the city. 
See Robinson, Lex. Bloomfield,Rosen- 
miiller, and some others, understand 
this of the praetorian camp, and sup- 
pose that Paul meant to say that the 
cause of his imprisonment hadbecome 
known to all the band of the praetori- 
ans. Grotius says that the usual word 
to denote the residence of the emper- 
or at Rome was palatium— palace, but 
that those who resided in the prov- 
inces were accustomed to the word 
prcetorium, and would use it when 
speaking of the palace of the emperor. 
Chrysostom says that the palace of 
the emperor was called prmtorium, by 
a Latin word derived from the Greek. 
See Erasmus in loc. Caivin supposes 
that the palace of Nero is intended. 
The question about the meaning of 
the word is important, as it bears on 
the inquiry to what extent the Gospel 
was made known at Rome in the time 
of Paul, and perhaps as to the ques- 
tion why he was released from his im- 
prisonment. If the knowledge of his 
innocence had reached the palace, it 
was a ground of hope that he might 
be acquitted; and if that palace is here 
intended, it is an interesting fact, as 
showing that in some way the Gospel 
had been introduced into the family 
of the emperor himself. That the pal- 
ace or residence of the emperor is in- 
tended here maybe considered at least 
probable from the following consider- 
ations: (1.) It is the name which would 
be likely to be used by the Jews who 
came up from Judea and other prov- 
inces to denote the chief place of judg- 
ment, or the principal residence of the 
highest magistrate So it was used 
in Jerusalem, in Caesarea, and in the 
provinces generally, to denote the res- 
idence of the general in the camp, or 
the procurator in the cities— the high- 
est representative of the Roman pow- 
er. (2.) If the remark of Chrysostom, 
above referred to, be well founded, 
that this was a common name given 
to the palace in Rome, then this goes 
far to determine the question. (3^) In 
ch. iv. 22, Paul, in the salutation of the 
saints at Rome to those of Philippi, 
mentions particularly those of u Cae 
sar's household. " From this it would 
seem that some of the family of the 
emperor had been made acquainted 
with the Christian religion, and hail 
been converted. In what way the 



144 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



14 And many of the brethren in 
the Lord, waxing confident by my 
bonds, are much more bold to 
speak the word without fear. 



15 Some indeed preach Christ 
even of envy and strife, and some 
also of good will : 

16 The one preach Christ of con- 



knowledge of the true cause of Paul's 
imprisonment had been circulated in 
the "palace" is not now known. There 
was, however, close intimacy between 
the military officers and the govern- 
ment, and it was probably by means 
of some of the soldiers or officers who 
had the special charge of Paul that this 
had been communicated. To Paul, in 
his bonds, it must have been a subject 
of great rejoicing that the govern- 
ment became thus apprized of the true 
character of the opposition which had 
been excited against him, and it must 
have done much to reconcile him to 
the sorrows and privations of impris- 
onment that he was thus the means 
of introducing religion to the very 
palace of the emperor. Tf And in all 
other places. Margate all others. The 
Greek will bear either construction. 
But if, as has been supposed, the ref- 
erence in the word prcetorium is to the 
palace, then this should be rendered 
"all other places." It then means that 
the knowledge of his innocence, and 
the consequences of that knowledge 
in its happy influence in spreading re- 
ligion, were not confined to the pal- 
ace, but were extended to other places. 
The subject was generally understood, 
so that it might be said that correct 
views of the matter pervaded the city, 
and the fact of his imprisonment was 
accomplishing extensively the most 
happy effects on the public mind. 

14. And many of the brethren. Many 
Christians. It is evident, from this, 
that there were already "man?/" in 
Rome who professed Christianity. Tfiw 
the Lord. In the Lord Jesus ; that is, 
united to him and to each other by a 
professed attachment to him. This is 
a common phrase to designate Chris- 
tians. If Waxing confidently my bonds. 
Becoming increasingly bold and zeal- 
ous in consequence of my being con- 
fined. This might have been either (1.) 
that, from the very fact that so distin 
guished a champion of the truth had 
been imprisoned, they were excited 
to do all they could in the cause of 
the Gospel ; or (2.) they were aroused 
by the fact that the cause of his impris- 
onment had become generally under- 
stood, and that there was a strong cur- 
rent of popular favor setting towards 



Christianity in consequence of it ; or 
(3. ) they had had intercourse with Paul 
in his own "hired house," and had 
been incited and encouraged by him 
to put forth great efforts in the cause; 
or (4.) it would seem that some had 
been emboldened to promulgate their 
views, and set themselves up as 
preachers, who would have been re- 
strained if Paul had been at liberty. 
They were disposed to form parties 
and to secure followers, and rejoiced 
in an opportunity to increase their 
own popularity, and were not unwil- 
ling thus to diminish the popularity 
and lessen the influence oi so great a 
man as Paul. Had he been at liberty 
they would have had no prospect of 
success. See verse 16. To this' may 
be added a suggestion by Theodoret. 
"Many of the brethren have increased 
boldness — Sapo-os— on account of my 
bonds ; for, seeing me bear such hard 
things with pleasure, they announce 
that the Gospel [which sustains me] 
is divine." The same sentiment oc- 
curs in (Ecumenius and Theophylact. 
See Bloomfield. In Paul himself they 
had an illustration of the power of 
religion, and, being convinced of its 
truth, they went and proclaimed it 
abroad. If To speak the word without 
fear. That is, they see that I remain 
safely (comp. Acts xviii. 30), and that 
there is no danger of persecution, and, 
stimulated by my sufferings and pa- 
tience, they go and make the Gospel 
known. 

15. Some indeed preach Christ even of 
envy and strife. What was the ground 
of this "envy and strife" the apostle 
does not mention. It would seem, 
however, that even in Rome there was 
a party which was jealous of the influ- 
ence of Paul, and which supposed that 
this was a good opportunity to dimin- 
ish his influence and to strengthen 
their own cause. He was not now at 
large so as to be able to meet and con- 
fute them. They had access to the 
mass of the people. It was easy, un- 
der plausible pretences, to insinuate 
hints about the ambitious aims or im- 
proper influence of Paul, or to take 
strong ground against him and in fa- 
vor of their own views, and they 
availed themselves of this opportuni 



A.D! 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



145 



tention, not sincerely, supposing 
to add affliction to my bonds ; 
17 But the other of love, know- 



ty. It would seem most probable, 
though this is not mentioned, that 
these persons were Judaizing teachers, 
professing Christianity, and who sup- 
posed that Paul's views were deroga- 
tory to the honor of Moses and the 
law. If And some also of good will. From 
pure motives, having no party aims to 
accomplish, and not intending in any 
way to give me trouble. 

16. Theonepreach Christ of contention. 
So as to form parties, and to produce 
strifes among his professed followers. 
^Not sincerely. Not purely — &yvu)<s; 
not with pure motives or intentions. 
Their real aim is not to preach Christ, 
but to produce difficulty and to stir 
up strife. They are ambitious men, 
and they have no real regard for the 
welfare of the Church and the honor 
of religion. If Supposing to add afflic- 
tion to my bonds. To make my trial 
the greater. How they did this is un- 
known. Perhaps they were those who 
were strongly imbued with Jewish no- 
tions, and who felt that his course 
tended to diminish respect for the law 
of Moses, and who now took this op- 
portunity to promote their views, 
knowing that this would be particu- 
larly painful to him when he was not 
at liberty to meet them openly, and 
to defend his own opinions. It is pos- 
sible, also, that they may have alleged 
that Paul himself had met with a sig- 
nal reproof for the course which he 
had taken, and, as a consequence, was 
now thrown into chains. Bloomfield 
suggests that it was the opinion of 
many of the ancient expositors that 
they endeavored to do this by so 
preaching as to excite the fury of the 
multitude or the rulers against Paul, 
and to produce increased severity in 
his punishment. But the way in which 
they did this is unknown, and conject- 
ure is altogether useless. 

17. But the other of love. From pure 
motives, and from sincere affection to 
me. If Knowing that 1 am set for the de- 
fence of the Gospel. They believe that 
I am an ambassador from God. They 
regard me as unjustly imprisoned, and 
while I am disabled they are willing 
to aid me in the great cause to which 
my life is devoted. To alleviate his 
sorrows, and to carry forward the! 
great cause to defend which he wasj 

G 



ing that I am set for the defence 
of the gospel. 
18 What then ? notwithstanding 



particularly appointed, they engaged 
in the work which he could not now 
do, and went forth to vindicate the 
Gospel, and to make its claims better 
known. Coverdale renders this, "for 
they know that I lie here for the de- 
fence of the Gospel." So Piscator, • 
Michaelis, and Endius render it, sup- 
posing that the meaning is that he lay 
in prison for the defence of the Gos- 
pel, or as a consequence of his efforts 
to defend it. But this is not in ac- 
cordance with the usual meaning of 
the Greek word (/cfi/xcu). It means to 
lie, and in the perf. pass, to be laid, 
set, placed. If the apostle had referred 
to his being in prison, he would have 
added that fact to the statement made. 
The sense is, that he was appointed to 
be a defender of the Gospel, and that 
they, being well convinced of this, 
went forth to promulgate and defend 
the truth. That fact was one of Paul's 
chief consolations while he was thus 
in confinement. 

18. What then? What follows from 
this ? What effect does it have on my 
mind ? Does the fact that some preach 
from a spirit of envy and contention 
give me pain ? Tf Notwithstanding every 
way. No matter in what way it is 
done. We are not to suppose, how- 
ever, that Paul was indifferent as to 
the way in which the Gospel was 
preached, or the spirit with which it 
was done ; but the meaning is, that it 
was a matter of rejoicing that it was 
done at all, whatever the motives might 
be. Tf Whether in pretence or in truth. 
Whether as a mere pretext to cover* 
up some other design, or from pure 
motives. Their pretence was that 
they preached the Gospel because they 
believed it true and loved it; their 
real object was to build up a party, 
and to diminish the influence and au- 
thority of Paul. H Christ is preached. 
They made known the name of the 
Saviour, and announced that the Mes- 
siah had come. They could not go 
forth under any pretence as preachers 
without making known some truth 
about the Redeemer. So now it is 
hardly possible that any persons 
should attempt to preach without 
stating some truth that would not oth- 
erwise be known. The name of a Sav- 
iour will be announced, and that will 



146 



PHIL1PPIANS. 



[AM. 64 



every way, whether in pretence or 
in truth, Christ is preached; and 
I therein do rejoice, yea, and will 
rejoice. 



be something. Some views of his life 
and work will be presented, which, 
though they may be far enough from 
full views, are yet better than none. 

• Though there may be much error in 
what is said, yet there will be also 
some truth. It would be better to 
have preachers that were better in- 
structed, or that were more prudent, 
or that had purer motives, or that held 
a more perfect system, yet it is much 
in our world to have the name of the .Re- 
deemer announced in any way, and even 
to be told, in the most stammering 
manner, and from whatever motives, 
that man has a Saviour. The an- 
nouncement of that fact in any way 
may save a soul ; but ignorance of it 
could save none. 1 \ And I therein do 
rejoice. This is an instance of great 
magnanimity on the part of Paul, and 
nothing, perhaps, could better show 
his supreme love for the Saviour. 
Part preached to increase his afflic- 
tions, and the tendency of that preach- 
ing was, probably, as it was designed 
to be, to unsettle confidence in him, 
and to lessen his influence. Yet this 
did not move him. The more impor- 
tant matter was secured, and Christ 
was made known; and if this were 
secured, he was willing that his own 
name should be cast into the shade. 
This may furnish valuable lessons to 
preachers of the Gospel now. (1.) 
When we are laid aside from preach- 

. ing by sickness, we should rejoice that 
others are in health, and are able to 
make the Saviour known, though we 
are forgotten. (2.) When we are un- 
popular and unsuccessful, we should 
rejoice that others are more popular 
and successful — for Christ is preached. 
(3.) When we have rivals who have 
better pluns than we for doing good, 
and whose labors are crowned with 
more success, we should not be envi- 
ous or jealous — for Christ is preached. 
(4.) When ministers of other denomi- 
nations preach what \\;e regard as er- 
ror, and their preaching becomes pop- 
ular, and is attended with success, we 
can find occasion to rejoice — for they 
preach Christ. In the error we should 
not, we can not rejoice; but in the 



19 For I know that this a shall 
turn to my salvation through 6 your 
prayer, and the supply of the Spir- 
it of Jesus Christ, 

a Rom. 8. 28. b 2 Cor. 1.11. 



that Christ died for men, we can al- 
ways find abundant occasion for joy. 
Mingled as it may be with error, it 
may be nevertheless the means of sav- 
ing souls ; and though we should re- 
joice more if the truth were preached 
without any admixture of error, yet 
still the very fact that 'Christ is made 
known lays the foundation for grati- 
i tude and rejoicing. Had all Chris- 
tians, and Christian ministers, the feel- 
ings which Paul expresses here, there 
would be much less envy and unchar- 
itableness than there is now in the 
churches. May we not hope that 
the time will yet come when all who 
preach the Gospel will have such su- 
preme regard for the name and work 
of the Saviour, that they will find sin- 
cere joy in the success of a rival de- 
nomination, or a rival preacher, or in 
rival plans for doing good? Then, 
indeed, contentions would cease, and 
the hearts of Christians, "like kindred 
drops," would mingle into one. 

19. For I know that this shall turn to 
,my salvation. Will be a means of my 
salvation. Whether the effect snail 
be to turn public favor towards the 
Christian religion, and secure my re- 
lease, or whether it shall be to insti- 
gate my enemies more, so as to lead 
to my death, I am satisfied that the 
result, so far as I am concerned, will 
be well. The word "salvation," here, 
does not refer to his release from cap- 
tivity, as Koppe. Rosenmiiller, Clarke, 
and others suppose; for he was not 
absolutely certain of that, and could 
not expect that to be effected by " the 
supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." 
But the meaning is, that all these deal- 
ings, including his imprisonment, and 
especially the conduct of those who 
thought to add affliction to his bonds, 
would be among the means of his sal- 
vation in heaven. Trying and painful 
as all this was, yet trial and pain Paul 
reckoned among Vie means of grace; and 
he had no doubt that this would prove 
so. H Through your prayer. See Notes 
on 2 Cor. i. 1 1. ^ And the supply of the 
Spirit of Jesus Christ. To sustain me, 
and to cause those happy results to 
come out of these trials. He needed 



I < 

fact that the great truth is held up -Kthe same spirit which Jesus Christ had 



AiD. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



147 



20 According to my earnest ex- 
pectation and my hope, that in 
nothing I shall be ashamed/ but 
that with all boldness, b as always, 
so now also Christ shall be magni- 

aRom.5.5. b Ephes. 6. 19, 20. 



to enable him to bear his trials with 
patience, and to impart to him the 
consolations which he required. He 
had no idea that these trials would 
produce these effects of their own ac- 
cord, nor that it could be by any 
strength of his own. 

20. According to my earnest expecta- 
tion. The word here used occurs but 
in one other place in the New Testa- 
ment. See it explained in the Notes 
on Rom. v4ft. 19. The earnest desire 
and hope which Paul had was not, 
primarily, that he might be released; 
but it was that, in all circumstances, 
he might be able to honor the Gospel, 
living or dying. To that he looked 
as a much more important matter 
than to save his life. * Life with him 
was a secondary consideration ; the 
main thing was to stand up every 
where as the advocate of the Gospel, 
to maintain its truth, and to exhibit 
its spirit. . H That in nothing I shall be 
ashamed. That I shall do nothing of 
which I shall have occasion to be 
ashamed. That in these heavy trials 
I may not be left to deny the truth of 
the Christian religion; that, even be- 
fore the emperor, I may maintain its 
principles; and that the dread of death 
may not lead me to do a dishonorable 
thing, or in any way so to shrink from 
an avowal of my belief as to give me 
or my friends occasion of regret. 
^JSut that with all boldness. By my 
speaking the truth, and maintaining 
my principles with all boldness. See 
N otes on 2 Cor. vii. 4. Eph. vi. 19, 
20. 1 Christ shall be magnified. Shall 
be held up to the view of man as the 
true and only Saviour, whatever be- 
comes of me. 1 Whether it be by life. 
If I am permitted to live. He was 
not yet certain how the case w r ould 
terminate with him. He had not been 
put on his trial, and, whether that trial 
would result in his acquittal or not, 
he could not certainly know. But he 
felt assured thai , if he was acquitted, 
the effect would be to honor Christ, 
He would ascribe his deliverance to 
his gracious interposition; he would 
devote himself with new ardor to his 



tied in my body, whether c it be by 
life or by death. 

21 For to me to live is Christ, and 
to die d is gain. 

22 But if I live in the flesh, this 

c Rom. 14. 7, 8. . d Rev. 14. 13. 

service ; and he felt assured, from his 
past efforts, that he would be able to 
do something that would "magnify" 
Christ in the estimation of mankind. 
U Or by death. If my trial shall result 
in my death. Then, he believed, he 
would be able to show such a spirit 
as to do honor to Christ and his cause. 
He was not afraid to die, and he was 
persuaded that he would be enabled 
to bear the pains of death in such a 
manner as to show the sustaining- 
power of religion and the value of 
Christianit} 7 . Christ is ''magnified'' 
in the death of Christians when his 
Gospel is seen to sustain them ; when, 
supported by its promises, they are en- 
abled to go calmly into the dark val- 
ley; and when, in the departing mo- 
ments, they confidently commit their 
eternal all into his hands. The effect 
of this state of feeling on the mind of 
Paul must have been most happy. In 
whatever way his trial terminated, he 
felt assured that the great object for 
which he lived would be promoted. 
Christ would be honored, perhaps, as 
much by his dying as a martyr as by 
his living yet many years to proclaim 
his Gospel. He was, therefore, recon- 
ciled to his lo't. He had no anxiety. 
Come what might, the purpose which 
he had most at heart would be secured, 
and the name of the Saviour would be 
honored. 

21. For to me to live is Christ. My 
sole aim in living is to glorify Christ. 
He is the supreme end of my life, and 
I value it only as being devoted to his 
honor. — Doddridge. His aim was not 
honor, learning, gold, pleasure; it was, 
to glorify the Lord Jesus. This was 
the single purpose of his soul— a pur- 
pose to which he devoted himself with 
as much singleness and ardor as ever 
did a miser to the pursuit of gold, or 
a devotee of pleasure to amusement, 
or an aspirant for fame to ambition. 
This implied the following things : (1.) 
A purpose to know as much of Christ 
as it was possible to know — to become 
as fully acquainted as he could with 
his rank, his character, and his plans ; 
with the relations which he sustained 



148 



PHILJPPIANS. 



[A.D.#4 



to the Father, and with the claims and 
influences of his religion. See Phil, 
iii. 10. Eph. iii. 19. Comp. John xvii. 
3. (2.) A purpose to imitate Christ — 
to make him the model of his life. It 
was a design that his Spirit should 
reign in his heart ; that the same tem- 
per should actuate him, and that the 
same great end should be constantly 
had in view. (3 ) A purpose to make 
his religion known, as far as possible, 
among mankind. To this Paul seri- 
ously gave his life, and devoted his 
great talents. His aim was to see on 
how many minds he could impress the 
sentiments of the Christian religion; 
to see to how many of the human fam- 
ily he could make Christ known, to 
whom he was unknown before. Never 
was there a man who gave himself 
with more ardor to any enterprise than 
Paul did to this, and never was one 
more successful in any undertaking 
than he was in this. (4. ) It was a pur- 
pose to enjoy Christ. He drew his com- 
forts from him. His happiness he 
found in communiou with him. It 
was not in the works of art ; not in 
the pursuits of elegant literature; not 
in the gay and fashionable world; but 
it was in communion with the Sav- 
iour, and in endeavoring to please 
him. Remark, (1.) Paul never had oc- 
casion to regret this course. It pro- 
duced no sadness when he looked over 
his life. He never felt that he had had 
an unworthy aim of living ; when he 
came to die, he did not wish that his 
purpose had been different. (2 ) If it 
was Paul's duty thus to live, it is no 
less that of every Christian. What was 
there in 7iis case that made it his duty 
to "live unto Christ," which does not 
exist in the case of every sincere Chris- 
tian on earth ? No believer, when he 
comes to die, regrets that he has lived 
unto Christ, but how many, alas ! re- 
gret that this has not been the aim and 
purpose of their souls ! ^ And to die 
is gam. Comp. Rev. xiv. 13. A senti- 
ment similar to this occurs frequently 
in the Greek and Latin classic writers. 
See Wetstein, in loc., who has collect- 
ed numerous such passages With 
them, the sentiment had its origin in 
the belief that they would be freed 
from suffering, and admitted to some 
happy world beyond the grave. To 
them, however, all this was conjecture 
and uncertainty. The word gain, here, 
means profit, advantage; and the mean- 
ing is, there would be an advantage in 



dying above that of living. Important 
benefits would result to him personal- 
ly should he die; and the only reason 
why he should wish at all to live was 
that he might be the means of bene- 
fiting others. Vs. 24, 25. But how 

j would it be gain to die? What ad- 
vantage would death be in Paul's cir- 
cumstances ? What in ours ? It may 
be answered, that it will be gain for a 
Christian to die in the following re- 
spects : (1.) He will be then freed from 
sin. Here it is the source of perpet- 
ual humiliation and sorrow ; in heaven 
he will sin no more. (2.) He will be 
freed from doubts about his condition. 
Here the best are liable to doubts 
about their personal piety, and often 

! experience many an anxious hour in 

j reference to this point ;4ln heaven, 
doubt will be known no more. (3.) 

i He will be freed from temptation. 

| Here, no one knows when he may be 
tempted, nor how powerful the temp- 
tation may be; in heaven there will 
be no allurement to lead him astray ; 
no artful, cunning, and skillful vota- 
ries of pleasure to place inducements 
before him to sin, and no heart to 
yield to them if there were. (4.) He 
will be delivered from all his enemies 
—from the slanderer, the calumniator, 
the persecutor. Here the Christian is 
constantly liable to have his motives 
called in question, or to be met with 
detraction and slander ; there, none 
will do him injustice ; all will rejoice 
in the belief that he is pure. (5.) He 
will be delivered from suffering. Here 
he is constantly liable to it. His health 

J fails, his friends die, his mind is sad. 

' In heaven there will be no separation 
of friends, no sickness, and no tears. 
(6 ) He will be delivered from death. 

; Here, death is ever nigh — dreadful, 
alarming, terrible to our nature. 
There, death will be known no more. 
No face will ever turn pale, and no 
knees tremble at his approach ; in all 
heaven there will never be seen a fu- 

, neral procession, nor will the soil 
there ever open its bosom to furnish 
a grave. (7. ) To all this may be added 
the fact that the Christian will be sur- 
rounded by his best friends; that he 
will be reunited with those whom he 
loved on earth ; that he will be asso- 
ciated with the angels of light; and 
that he will be admitted to the imme- 
diate presence of his Saviour and his 
God ! Why, then, should a Christian 
be afraid to die ? And why should he 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



149 



is the fruit of my labour : yet what 
I shall choose I wot not. 



23 For I am in a strait betwixt 
two, having a desire a to depart, 

a 2 Cor. 5. 8. 



not hail that hour, when it comes, as 
the hour of his deliverance, and re- 
joice that he is going home? Does 
the prisoner, long confined in a dun- 
geon, dread the hour which is to open 
his prison, and permit him to return 
to his family and friends? Does the 
man in a foreign land, long an exile, 
dread the hour when he shall embark 
on the ocean to be conveyed where he 
may embrace the friends of his youth ? 
Does the sick man dread the hour 
which restores him to health? the af- 
flicted the hour of comfort ? the wan- 
derer at night the cheering light of 
returning day? And why, then, should 
the Christian dread the hour which 
will restore him to immortal vigor ; 
which will remove all his sorrows; 
which will introduce him to everlast- 
ing day ? 

Death is the crown of life : 
Were death denied, poor man would live 
in vain ; 

Were death denied, to live would not be 
life; 

Were death denied, even fools would wish 
to die. 

Death wounds to cure ; we fall ; we rise ; 
we reign ! 

Spring from our fetters ; fasten in the skies ; 
Where bloomiugEden withers in our sight. 
Death gives us more than was in Eden lost. 
The king of terrors is the prince of peace. 

Night Thoughts, hi. 

22. But if Hive in the flesh. If I con- 
tinue to live; if I am not condemned 
and make a martyr at my approaching 
trial. T[ This is the fruit of my labor. 
The meaning of this passage, which 
has given much perplexity to com- 
mentators, it seems to me is, "If I live 
in the flesh, it will be the fruit of labor, 
or it will cost me labor; it will be at- 
tended, as it has been, with much ef- 
fort and anxious care, and I know not 
which to prefer — whether to remain 
on the earth with these cares and the 
hope of doing good, or to go at once 
to a world of rest." A more Literal 
version of the Greek will show that 
this is the meaning: tovto /ulol Kapirov 
'ipyov— " this to me is [or would be] 
the fruit of labor." Coverdale, how- 
ever, renders it, " Inasmuch as to live 
in the flesh is fruitful to me for the 
work, I wot not what I shall choose." 
So Luther, " But since to live in the 
flesh serves to produce more fruit." 



And so Bloomfield, "But if my life in 
the flesh be of use to the Gospel (be 
it so, I say no more), verily what I 
| shall choose I see and know not." See 
also Koppe, Rosentnuller, and Calvin, 
who give the same sense. According 
to this, the meaning is, that if his life 
were of value to the Gospel, he was 
willing to live; or that it was a valu- 
able object — operce pretium — worth an 
effort thus to live. This sense accords 
well with the connection, and the 
thought is a valuable one, but it is 
somewhat doubtful whether it can be 
made out from the Greek. To do it, 
it is necessary to suppose that /mot, my, 
is expletive (Koppe), and that /cat, and, 
is used in an unusual sense. See Eras- 
mus. According to the interpretation 
first suggested, it means that Paul felt 
that it would be gain to die, and that 
he was entirely willing to die; but 
that he felt also that if he continued 
to live it would involve toil and fa- 
tigue, and that, therefore, great as was 
the natural love of life, and desirous 
as he was to do good, he did not know 
which to choose— an immediate de- 
parture to the w 7 orld of rest, or a pro- 
longed life of toil and pain, attended 
even with the hope that he might do 
good. On the one hand, there was an 
intense desire to be with Christ, joined 
with the belief that his life here must 
be attended with toil and anxiety; and, 
on the other hand, an earnest wish to 
live in order to do good, and he knew 
not which to prefer. If Yet. The sense 
has been obscured by this translation. 
The Greek word kul means and, and 
should have been so rendered here, in 
! its usual sense : 4 ' To die would be gain ; 
j my life here would be one of toil, and 
! I know not which to choose." H What 
I 1 shall clwose I wot not. I do not know 
which I should prefer, if it were left to 
me. On each side there were impor- 
tant considerations, and he knew not 
which overbalanced the other. Are 
! not Christians often in such a state 
that if it were left to themselves they 
would not know which to choose, 
! whether to live or to die ? 

23. For I am in a strait betwixt two. 
Between two things, each of which I 
, desire. I long to be with Christ, and 
I desire to remain to be useful to the 
I world. The word rendered "I am in 



150 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



and to be with Christ; which is 
far better : a 



24 Nevertheless to abide in the 
flesh is more needful for vou. 



a strait" — awtx 0 ^ 0 - 1 — means to be 
pressed on or constrained, as in a 
crowd; to feel one's self pressed or 
pent up so as not to know what to do; 
and it here means that he was in per- 
plexity and doubt, and did not know 
what to choose. "The words of the 
original are very emphatic. They ap- 
pear to be derived from a ship when 
lying at anchor, and when violent 
winds blow upon it that would drive 
it out to sea. The apostle represents 
himself as in a similar conditiou. His 
strong affection for them bound his 
heart to them— as an anchor holds a 
ship to its moorings— and yet there 
was a heavenly influence bearing upon 
him— like the gale upon the vessel — 
which would bear him away to heav- 
en." — Burder, in Ros. Alt. u. neu Mor- 
genland, in loc. ^Having a desire to de- 
part. To die — to leave this world for 
a better. Men, as they are by nature, 
usually dread to die. Few are even 
made willing to die. Almost none de- 
sire to die — and even then they wish it 
only as the least of two evils. Pressed 
down by pain and sorrow, or dissatis- 
fied and weary of the world, the mind 
may be wrought up into a desire to be 
away. But this with the people of the 
world is in all cases the result of mis- 
anthropy, or morbid feeling, or disap- 
pointed ambition, or an accumulation 
of sorrows. Wetstein has adduced on 
this verse several most beautiful pas- 
sages from the classic writers, in which 
men expressed a desire to depart, but 
all of them probably could be traced 
to disappointed ambition, or to men- 
tal or bodily sorrows, or to dissatisfac- 
tion with the world. It was from no 
such wish that Paul desired to die. It 
was not because he hated man— for he 
ardently loved him. It was not be- 
cause he had been disappointed about 
wealth and honor— lor he had sought 
neither. It was not because he had not 
been successful — lor no man had been 
more so. It was not because he had 
been subjected to pains and imprison- 
ments — for he was willing to bear 
them. It was not because he was old, 
and infirm, and a burden to the world 
—for, from any thing that appears, he 
was in the vigor of lite, and in the full- 
ness of his strength. It was from a 
purer, higher motive than any of these 



— the strength of attachment which 
bound him to the Saviour, and which 
made him long to be with him. H And 
to be with Chi'ist. We may remark on 
this expression, (1.) That this was the 
true reason why he wished to be away. 
It was his strong love to Christ ; his 
anxious wish to be with him ; his firm 
belief that in his presence was "full- 
ness of joy." (2.) He believed that the 
soul of the Christian would be imme- 
diately with the Saviour at death. It 
was evidently his expectation that he 
would at once pass to his presence, 
and not that he would remain in an 
intermediate state to eome far distant 
period. (3.) r Ihe soul does not sleep 
at death. Paul expected to be with 
Christ, and to be conscious of the fact 
— to see him, and to partake of his 
glory. (4. ) The soul of the believer is 
made happy at death. To be with 
Christ is synonymous with being in 
heaven; for Christ is in heaven, and 
is its glory. We may add {a) that this 
with to be with Christ constitutes a 
marked difference between a Christian 
and other men. Other men may be 
willing to die; perhaps be desirous to 

| die, because their sorrows are so great 

I that they feel that they can not be 
borne. But the Christian desires to 

! depart from a different motive alto- 

! gether. It is to be with Christ — and 
this constitutes a broad line of dis- 
tinction between him and other men. 

| (b) A mere Willingness to die, or even a 
desire to die, is no certain evidence of 
preparation for death. If this willing- 
ness or desire is caused by mere inten- 

! sity of suffering; if it is produced by 
disgust at the world or by disappoint- 
ment ; if it arises from some view of 
fancied Elysian fields beyond the 

! grave, it constitutes no evidence what* 

\ ever of a preparation for death. I have 
seen not a few persons who were not 

J professed Christians on a bed of death, 
and not a few willing to die, nay, not 
a few who wished to depart. But in 

j the vast majority of instances it was 
because they were sick of life, or be- 
cause their pain made them sigh tor 
relief, or because they were so wretched 
that they did not care what happened — 
and this they and their friends con- 
strued into an evidence that they were 

| prepared to die! In most instances 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



151 



25 And having this confidence, 
I know that I shall abide and con- 
tinue with you all for your fur- 
therance and joy of faith ; 



this is a miserable delusion ; in no case 
is a mere willingness to die an evi- 
dence of preparation for death. 
\ Which is far better. Would be at- 
tended with more happiness; would 
be a higher, holier state than to re- 
main on earth. This proves also that 
the soul of the Christian at death is 
made at once happy — for a state of in- 
sensibility can in no way be said to be 
a better condition than to remain in 
this present world. The Greek phrase 
here — ttoXXw /j.a\\ov Kp&Zara-ov — is very 
emphatic, and the apostle seems to la- 
bor for language which will fully con- 
vey his idea. It means "by much 
more, or rather better," and the sense 
is, u better beyond all expression." — 
Doddridge. See numerous examples 
illustrating the phrase in Wetstein. 
Paul did not mean to say that he was 
merely willing to die, or that he acqui- 
esced in its necessity, but that the fact 
of being with Christ was a condition 
greatly to be preferred to remaining on 
earth. This is the true feeling of 
Christian piety ; and having this feel- 
ing, death to us will have no terrors. 

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh. 
To live. All this is language derived 
from the belief that the soul will be 
separate from the body at death, and 
will occupy a separate state of exist- 
ence. ^| Is more needful for you. An- 
other object that was dear to the heart 
of Paul. He never supposed that his 
life was useless, or that it was a mat- 
ter of no importance to the cause of 
religion whether he lived or died. He 
knew that God works by means, and 
that the life of a minister of the Gos- 
pel is of real value to the Church and 
the-world. His experience, his influ- 
ence, his paternal counsels, he felt as- 
sured, would be of value to the Church, 
and he had, therefore, a desire to live 
—and it was no part of his religion af- 
fectedly to undervalue or despise him- 
self. 

25. And having this confidence. " Be- 
ing persuaded of this, that my contin- 
uance on earth is desirable for your 
welfare, and that the Lord has a work 
for me to do, I confidently expect that 
I shall be permitted to live." The 
" confidence" here referred to was 



26 That your rejoicing may be 
more abundant in Jesus Christ for 
me by my coming to you again. 

27 Only a let your conversation be 

aEphes.4. 1. c. 3. 20. 



that his life was needful for them, and 
hence that God would spare him. A 
literal translation would be, 41 And be- 
ing persuaded as to this, or of this" — 
touto Tr&iroL^rd)^— lk I know," etc. The 
foundation of his expectation that he 
would live does not appear to have 
been any revelation to that effect, as 
Doddridge supposes, or any intimation 
which he had from the palace of the 
intentions of the government, as some 
others suppose, but the fact that he 
believed his life to be necessary for 
them, and that therefore God would 
preserve it. 1 1 know that I shall abide. 
The word know, however (oToa), is not 
to be pressed as denoting absolute cer- 
tainty, for it appears from ver. 27, and 
ch. ii. 17, that there was some ground 
for doubt whether he would live ; but 
it is to be taken in a popular sense, as 
denoting good courage, and an earnest 
hope that he would be permitted to 
live and visit them. — Heinrichs. 11 And 
continue with you all. That is, that he 
would be permitted not only to live, 
but to enjoy their society. H For your 
furtherance and joy of faith For the 
increase of your faith, and the promo- 
tion of that joy which is the conse- 
quence of faith. Wetstein has quoted 
a beautiful passage from Seneca (Epist. 
104) which strikingly resembles this 
sentiment of Paul. He says that when 
a man had meditated death, and when, 
on his own account, he would be will- 
ing to die, yet that he ought to be 
willing to live— to come back again to 
life — for the sake of his friends. He 
then adds, u It pertains to ag'-eatmind 
to be willing to come back^to life for 
the sake of others; which distinguish- 
ed men often do." 

26. That your rejoicing may be more 
abundant in Christ Jesus. Through 
the mercy and grace of Christ. If he 
was spared, his deliverance would be 
traced to Christ, and they would re- 
joice together in one who had so mer- 
cifully delivered him. *\\ For me, by 
my coming to you again. Their joy 
would not only be that he was deliv- 
ered, but that he was permitted to see 
til em again. 

27. Only let your conversation. The 
word conversation we now apply al- 



152 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[a.d = m. 



as it becorneth the gospel of Christ : 
that whether I corne and see you, 
or else be absent, I may hear of 
your affairs, that ye a stand fast in 



most exclusively to oral discourse, or 
to talking. But it was not formerly 
confined to that, and is never so used 
in the Scriptures. It means conduct 
in general — including, of course, our 
manner of speaking, but not limited 
to that — and should be so understood 
in every place where it occurs in the 
Bible. The original word here used 
— 7to\ltevco — politeuo, means properly 
to administer the state; to live as a citi- 
zen ; to conduct one's self according to 
the laws and customs of a state. See 
Acts xxiii. 1. Compare examples in 
Wetstein. It would not be improp- 
erly rendered, u Let your conduct as a 
citizen be as becomes the Gospel; 1 ' 
and might without impropriety, 
though not exclusively, be referred to 
our deportment as members of a com- 
munity, or citizens of a state. It un- 
doubtedly implies that, «s. : citizens, we 
should act, in all the duties which 
that relation involves — in maintaining 
the laws, in submission to authority, 
in the choice of rulers, etc., as well as 
in other relations— on the principles 
of the Gospel; for the believer is 
bound to perform every duty on Chris- 
tian principles. But the direction 
here should not be confined to that. 
It doubtless includes our conduct in 
all relations in life, and refers to our 
deportment in general, not merely as 
citizens of the state, but as members 
of the Church, and in all other rela- 
tions. In our manner of speech, our 
plans of living, our dealings with oth- 
ers, our conduct and walk in the 
church and out of it— all should be 
done as becomes the Gospel. The di- 
rection, therefore, in this place, is to 
be understood of every thing pertain- 
ing to conduct. *\\ As it becorneth the Gos- 
pel of Christ. (1. ) The rules of the Gos- 
pel are to be applied to all our con- 
duct—to our conversation, our busi- 
ness transactions, our modes of dress, 
our style of living, our entertain- 
ments, etc. There is nothing which 
we do, or say, or purpose, that is to be 
excepted from those rules. (2.) There 
is a way of living which is appropriate 
to the Gospel, or which is such as the 
Gospel requires. There is something 
which the Gospel would secure as its 



one spirit, with one mind striving 
6 together for the faith of the gos- 
pel ; 

28 And in nothing terrified c by 

b Jude 3. c Isa. 51.7,12. Matt. 10. 28. 



proper fruits in our conduct, and by 
which our lives should be regulated. 
It would distinguish us from the gay, 
and from those who seek honor and 
wealth as their supreme object. If all 
Christians were under the influence 
of the Gospel, there would be sorne- 
thlnjg in their dress, their temper, their 
conversation, and their aims which 
would distinguish them from others. 
The Gospel is not a thing of naught, 
nor is it intended that it should exert 
no influence on its friends. (3.) It is 
very important that Christians should 
frame their lives by the rules of the 
Gospel, and, to this end, they should 
study them and know what they are. 
This is important, (a) because they are 
the best and wisest of all rules ; (b) be- 
cause it is only in this way that Chris- 
tians can do good ; (c) because they 
have solemnly covenanted with the 
Lord to take his laws as their guide ; 
(d) because it is only in this way that 
they can enjoy religion ; and (e) be- 
cause it is only by this that they can 
have peace on a dying bed. If men 
live as ''becometh the Gospel," they 
live w T ell. Their lives are honest and 
honorable; they are men of truth and 
uprightness; they will have no sources 
of regret when they die, and they will 
not give occasion to their friends to 
hang their heads with shame in the 
remembrance of them. No man on a 
dying bed ever yet regretted that he 
had framed his life by the rules of the 
Gospel, or felt that his conduct had 
been conformed too much to it. %That 
whether I come and see you. Alluding 
to the possibility that he might be re- 
leased, and be permitted to visit them 
again. If Or else be absent. Either at 
Rome, still confined, or released, and 
permitted to go abroad. If I may hear 
of your affairs, etc. I may hear always 
respecting you that you are united, 
and that you are vigorously striving 
to promote the interests of the Gos- 
pel. 

28. And in nothing terrified by your 
adversaries. Adversaries or opponents 
they had, like most of the other early 
Christians. There were Jews there 
who would be likely to oppose them 
(comp. Acts xvii. 5), and they were ex- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



153 



your adversaries: which a is to 
them an evident token of perdi- 
tion, but b to you of salvation, and 
that of God. 

a 2 Thess. 1.5. b Rom. 8.17. 

posed to persecution by the heathen. 
In that city Paul had himself suffered 
much (Acts xvi.), and it would not be 
strange if the same scenes should be i 
repeated. It is evident from this pas- 
sage, as well as from some other parts 
of the epistle, that the Philippians 
were at this time experiencing some 
form of severe suffering. But in what 
way, or why, the opposition to them 
was excited, is nowhere stated. The 
meaning here is, "Do not be alarmed 
at any thing which they can do. Main- 
tain your Christian integrity, notwith- 
standing all the opposition which they 
can make. They will, in the end, cer- 
tainly be destroyed, and you will be 
saved." ^ Which is to them an evident 
token of perdition, What, it may be 
asked, would be the token of their 
perdition? What is the evidence to 
which Paul refers that they would be 
destroyed? The relative "which 1 ' — 
— is probably used as referring to 
the persecution which had been com- ! 
menced, and to the constancy which 
the apostle supposed the Philippians 
would evince. The sentence is ellip- 
tical ; but it is manifest that the apos- 
tle refers either to the circumstance 
then occurring, that they were perse- 
cuted, and that they evinced constan- 
cy, or to the constancy which he wished 
them to evince in their persecutions. 
He says that this circumstance of perse- 
cution, if they evinced such a spirit as he 
wished, would be to them an evidence 
of two things: (1.) Of the destruction 
of those who were engaged in the per- 
secution. This would be, because they 
knew that such persecutors could not 
ultimately prevail. Persecution of the 
Church would be a certain indication 
that they who did it would be finally 
destroyed. (2.) It would be a proof of 
their own salvation, because it would 
show that they were the friends of the 
Redeemer, and the}' had the assurance 
that all those who were persecuted for 
his sake would be saved. The gender 
of the Greek relative here is deter- 
mined by the following noun (£i/<5ft£iv), 
in a manner that is not uncommon 
in Greek. See Wetstein, in toe, and 
Koppe. H And that of God. That is, 
their persecution is a proof that God 
G 2 



29 For unto you it is given c in 
the behalf of Christ, not only to 
believe on him, but also to suffer 
for his sake ; 

c Acts 5. 41. 

will interpose in due time and save 
you. The hostility of the wicked to 
! us is one evidence that we are the 
! friends of God, and shall be saved. 

29. For unto you. Unto you as Chris- 
tians. This favor is granted unto you 
in your present circumstances. H It is 
given. God concedes to you this priv- 
ilege or advantage. \In the behalf of 
Christ. In the cause of Christ, or with 
a view to honor Christ. Or, these 
things are brought on you in conse- 
quence of your being Christians. ^Not 
only to believe on him. It is represent- 
ed here as a privilege to be permitted 
to believe on Christ. It is so. (1.) It 
is an honor to a man to believe one 
who ought to be believed; to trust 
one who ought to be trusted; to love 
one who ought to be loved. (2.) It is 
a privilege to believe on Christ, be- 
cause it is by such faith that our sins 
are forgiven; that we become recon- 
ciled to God; and that we have the 
I hope of heaven. (3.) It is a privilege, 
because it saves the mind from the 
tortures of unbelief— the agitation, and 
restlessness, and darkness, and gloom 
of a skeptic. (4.) It is a privilege, be*- 
cause we have then a friend to whom 
we may go in trial, and on whom we 
may roll all our burdens. If there is 
any thing for which a Christian ought 
to give unfeigned thanks, it is that he 
has been permitted to believe on the 
Redeemer. Let him compare his 
peace, and joy, andhope of heaven, and 
support in trials, with the restlessness, 
uneasiness, and dread of death in the 
mind of an unbeliever, and he will see 
abundant occasion for gratitude. ^But 
also to suffer for his sake. Here it is 
represented as a privilege to suffer in 
the cause of the Redeemer — a declara- 
tion which may sound strange to the 
world. Yet this sentiment frequently 
occurs in the New Testament. Thus 
it is said of the apostles (Acts v. 41) 
that "they departed from the presence 
of the council rejoicing that they were 
counted worthy to sutler shame lor 
his name." Col. i. 24: "Who now re- 
joice in my sufferings lor you." 1 Pet. 
iv. 13: 11 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye 
are partakers of Christ's sufferings." 
Comp. James i. 2. Mark x. HO. "See 



154 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



30 Having the same conflict 
which ye saw a in me, and now 
hear to be in me. 

a Acts 16. 19. 1 Thess. 2. 2. 



Not es on Acts v. 41. It is a privilege 
thus to suffer in the cause of Christ, 
because (1.) we then resemble the Lord 
Jesus, and are united with him in tri- 
als ; (2.) because we have evidence that 
we are his, if trials come upon us in 
his cause ; (3.) "because we are engaged 
in a good cause, and the privilege of 
maintaining such a cause is worth 
much of suffering ; and (4.) because it 
will be connected with a brighter 
crown and more exalted honor in 
heaven. 

30. Having the same conflict. The 
same agony — ayoova; the same strife 
with bitter foes, and the same strug- 
gle in the warfare. *H Which ye saw in 
me. When I was in Philippi, opposed 
by the multitude, and thrown into 
prison. Acts xvi. \Ancl now hear to 
be in me. In Rome. He was a pris- 
oner there; was surrounded by ene- 
mies ; and was about to be tried for 
his life. He says that they ought to 
rejoice if they were called to pass 
through the same trials. 

In this chapter we have a beautiful 
illustration of the true spirit of a 
Christian in circumstances exceeding- 
ly trying. The apostle was in a situ- 
ation where religion would show it- 
self if there was any in the heart, and 
where, if there was none, the bad pas- 
sions of our nature would be devel- 
oped. He was a prisoner. He had 
been unjustly accused. He was about 
to be put on trial for his life, and it 
was wholly uncertain what the result 
would be. He was surrounded with 
enemies, and there were not a few 
false friends and rivals who took ad- 
vantage of his imprisonment to dimin- 
ish his influence, and to extend their 
own. He was, perhaps, about to die ; 
and, at any rate, was in such circum- 
stances as to be under a necessity of 
looking death in the face. 

In this situation he exhibited some 
of the tenderest and purest feelings 
that ever exist in the heart of man— 
the genuine fruit of pure religion. 
He remembered them with affection- 
ate and constant interest in his pray- 
ers. He gave thanks for all that God 
had done for them. Looking upon 
his own condition, he said that the 
trials which had happened to him, 



i 



CHAPTER II. 

F there be therefore any consola- 
tion in Christ, if any comfort 



great as they were, had been overruled 
to the furtherance of the Gospel. The 
Gospel had become known even in 
the imperial palace. And though it 
had been preached by some with no 
good will towards him, and with much 
error, yet he cherished no hard feel- 
ing; he sought for no revenge; he re- 
joiced that in any way, and from any 
motives/the great truth had been 
made known that a Saviour died. 
Looking forward to the possibility 
that his trial before the emperor might 
terminate in his death, he calmly an- 
ticipated such a result, and looked at 
it with composure. He says that in 
reference to the great purpose of his 
life, it would make no difference 
whether he lived or died, for he was 
assured that Christ would be honored, 
whatever was the result. To *iim per- 
sonally it would be gain to die ; and, 
as an individual, he longed for the 
hour when he might be with Christ. 
This feeling is religion, and this is pro- 
duced only by the hope of eternal life 
through the Redeemer. An impeni- 
tent sinner never expressed such feel- 
ings as these, nor does any other form 
of religion but Christianity enable a 
man to look upon death in this man- 
ner It is not often that a man is even 
willing to die; and when this state of 
mind does exist, it is produced, not 
by the hope of heaven, but by disgust 
at the world; by disappointed ambi- 
tion; by painful sickness, when the 
sufferer feels that any change would 
be for the better. But Paul had none 
of these feelings. His desire to de- 
part was not produced by hatred of 
life, nor by the greatness of his suffer- 
ings, nor by disgust at the world. It 
was the noble, elevated, and pure wish 
to be with CJtrist — to see him whom he 
supremely loved; whom he had so 
long and so faithfully served; and 
with whom he was to dwell forever. 
To that world where Christ dwelt he 
would gladly rise; and the only rea- 
son why he could be content to re- 
main here was that he might be a lit- 
tle longer useful to his tellow-men. 
Such is the elevated nature of Chris- 
tian feeling. But, alas ! how few at- 
tain to it! Even among Christians, 
how lew are they that can habitually 



A.D. 04.] 



CHAPTER II. 



155 



of love, if any fellowship of the 
Spirit, if any bowels a and mercies, 

a Col. 3. 12. 

feel and realize that it would be gain 
for them to die! How few can say 
with sincerity that they desire to de- 
part and to be with Christ! How 
rarely does even the Christian reach 
that state of mind, and gain that view 
of heaven, that, standing amidst his 
comforts here, and looking on his fam- 
ily, and friends, and property, he can 
say from the depths of his soul that 
he feels it would be yam far him to go 
to heaven ! Yet sue h Tread n ess to the 
world may be produced— as it was in 
the case of Paul; such deadness to 
the world should exist in the heart of 
every sincere Christian. Where it 
does exist, death loses its terror, and 
the heir of life can look calml} 7 on the 
bed where he will lie down to die ; can 
think calmly of the moment when he 
will give the parting hand to wife and 
child, and press them to his bosom for 
the last time, and imprint on them the 
last kiss ; can look peacefully on the 
spot where he Will moulder back to 
dust, and in view of all can triumph- 
antly say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come 
quiekly." 

CHAPTER II. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter is made up principally 
of exhortations to the performance of 
various Christian duties, and the ex- 
hibition of Christian virtues. The 
apostle first exhorts the Philippians, 
in the most tender manner, so to live 
as to give him joy, by evincing among 
themselves unity and concord. He 
entreats them to -do nothing by strife 
and a desire of distinction, but to 
evince that humility which is mani- 
fested when we regard others as more 
worthy than we are. Ver. 1-4. This 
exhortation he enforces in a most im- 
pressive manner by a reference to the 
example of Christ — an example of con- 
descension and humiliation fitted to 
repress in us all the aspirings of am- 
bition, and to make us ready to sub- 
mit to the most humble offices to ben- 
efit others. Ver. 5-11. He then ex- 
horts them to work out their salva- 
tion with diligence, assuring them, 
lor their encouragement, that God 
worked in them to will and to do of 
his good pleasure.* Vs. 12, 13. To 
tli is he adds an exhortation that they 



2 Fulfil h ye my joy, that ye be c 
like-minded, having the same 

ftjno.3.29. c 2 Cor. 13. 11. 1 Pet. 3. 8. 



would avoid every thing like murmur- 
ing and disputing— that they would 
be blameless and harmless in their 
walk, showing to all around them the 
excellency of the religion which they 
loved, and exerting such an influence 
on others that Paul might feel that 
he had not labored in vain. Ver. 14- 
16. To uxcite them to this, he assures 
them that he was ready himself to be 
sacrificed for their welfare, and should 
rejoice if by his laying down his life 
their happiness would be promoted. 
He asked the same thing in return 
from them. Vs. 17, 18. He then tells 
them, in expressing his interest in 
them, that he hoped soon to be able 
to send Timothy to them again — a man 
who felt a deep interest in their wel- 
fare, and whose going to them would 
be one of the highest proofs of the 
apostle's love. Ver. 19-24. The same 
love for them, he says, he had now 
shown by sending to them Epaphro- 
ditus — a man to whom he was tender- 
ly attached, and who had an earnest 
desire again to return to the Church 
from which he had been sent. Paul 
sent him, therefore, again to Philippi, 
that he might be with them and com- 
fort them, and he asked for him a kind 
reception and affectionate treatment 
in view of the sufferings which he had 
experienced in the cause of the Re- 
deemer. Ver. 25-30. 

1. if there be therefore any consolation 
in Christ. This, with what is said in 
the remainder of the verse, is designed 
as a motive for what he exhorts them 
to in ver. 2 — that they woifld be of the 
same mind, and would thus fulfill his 
joy. To urge them to this, he appeals 
to the tender considerations which re- 
ligion furnished, and begins by a ref- 
erence to the consolation which there 
is in Christ. The meaning here may 
be this: "I am now persecuted and 
afflicted. In my trials it will give me 
the highest joy to learn that you act 
as become Christians. You also are 
persecuted and afflicted (eh. i. 28-80); 
and, in these circumstances, I entreat 
that the highest consolation may be 
sought; and by all thai is tender and 
sacred in the Christian religion, I con- 
jure you so to live as not to dishonor 
the Gospel. So live as to bring down 



156 



PH1LIPPIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



love, being of one accord, of one 3 Let nothing a he done through 
mind. strife or vainglory ; but in lowli- 



er Gal. 5. 26. James 3. 14. 



the highest consolation which can 
be obtained — the consolation which 
Christ alone can impart. 1 ' We are not 
to suppose that Paul doubted whether 
there was any consolation in Christ, 
but the form of expression here is one 
that is designed to urge upon them 
the duty of seeking the highest possi- 
ble. The consolation in Christ is that 
which Christ furnishes or imparts. Paul 
regarded him as the source of all com- 
fort, and he earnestly prays that they 
might so live that he and the} 7 might 
avail themselves in the fullest sense 
of that unspeakable enjoyment. The 
idea is, that Christians ought at all 
times, and especially in affliction, so 
to act as to secure the highest possi- 
ble happiness which their Saviour can 
impart to them. Such an object is 
worth their highest effort; and if God 
sees it needful, in order to that, that 
they should endure much affliction, 
still it is gain. Religious consolation is 
always worth all which it costs to secure 
it. ^ Jf any comfort of love. If there 
be any comfort in the exercise of ten- 
der affection. That there is, no one 
can doubt. Our happiness is almost 
all centred in love. It is when we love 
a parent, a wife, a child, a sister, a 
neighbor, that we have the highest 
earthly enjoyment. It is in the love 
of God, of Christ, of Christians, of the 
souls of men, that the redeemed find 
their highest happiness. Hatred is a 
passion full of misery; love an emo- 
tion full of joy. By this consideration 
Paul appeals to them, and the motive 
here is dra^n from the joy which mu- 
tual love and sympathy are fitted to 
produce in the soul. Paul would have 
that love exercised in the highest de- 
gree, and would have them enjoy all 
the happiness which its mutual exer- 
cise could furnish. H If any fellowship 
of the Spirit. The word " fellowship" 
—Koivoivia — means that which is com- 
mon to two or more ; that of which 
they partake together. See Notes on 
Eph. iii. 9; Phil. i. 5. The idea here 
is, that among Christians there was a 
participation in the influences of the 
Holy Ghost ; that they shared in some 
degree the feelings, views, and joys of 
the sacred Spirit himself; and that 
this was a privilege of the highest or- 
der. By this fact, Paul now exhorts 



them to unity, love, and zeal — so to 
live that they might partake in the 
highest degree of the consolations of 
this Spirit. U If 'any bowels and mercies. 
If there is any affectionate bond by 
which you are united to me, and any 
regard for my sorrows, and any desire 
to till up my joys, so live as to impart 
to me, your spiritual father and friend, 
the consolation which I seek. 

2. Fulfill geqm/joy. Fill up my joy 
so that nothing shall be wanting to 
complete it. This, he says, would be 
done by their union, zeal, and humil- 
ity. Comp. John iii. 29. If That ye be 
like minded. Gr.,That ye think the 

| same thing. See Notes on 2 Cor. xiii. 
: 11. Perfect unity of sentiment, opin- 
j ion, and plan would be desirable if it 
\ could be attained. That might be at- 
! tained so far as to prevent discord, 
j schism, contention, and strife in the 
Church, and so that Christians might 
j be harmonious in promoting the same 
! great work — the salvation of souls, 
j i Having the same love. Love to the 
I same objects, and the same love one 
I for another. Though their opinions 
I might differ on some points, yet they 
| might be united in love. See Notes 
on 1 Cor. i. 10. T| Being of one accord 
— <rujUL\ffvxoi — of one soul ; having your 
j souls joined together. The word used 
j here does not occur elsewhere in the 
New Testament. It means a union of 
soul, or an acting together as if but 
one soul actuated them. If Of one 
! mind. Gr., Thinking the same thing. 
j The apostle here uses a great variety 
of expressions to denote the same 
. thing. The object which he aimed at 
| was union of heart, of feeling, of plan, 
of purpose. He wished them to avoid 
all divisions and strifes, and to show 
| the power of religion by being united 
' in the common cause. Probably there 
| is no single thing so much insisted on 
in the New Testament as the impor- 
I tance of harmony among Christians. 
I Now, there is almost nothing so little 
known; but if it prevailed, the world 
I would soon be converted to God. 
Comp. Notes on John xvii. 21, or see 
the text itself without the Notes. 

3. Let nothing be done through strife. 
With a spirit of contention. This 
command forbids us to do any thing, 
or attempt any thing, as the mere result 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



157 



of strife. This is not the principle from 
which we are to act, or by which we 
are to be governed. We are to form 
no plan, and aim at no object, which is 
to be secured in this way. The com- 
mand prohibits all attempts to secure 
any thing over others by mere phys- 
ical strength, or by superiority of 
numbers, or as the result of schemes 
and plans formed by rivalry, or by the 
indulgence of angry passions, or with 
the spirit of ambition. We are not to 
attempt to do any thing merely by 
outstripping others, or by showing 
that we have more talent, courage, or 
zeal. What we do is to be done by 
principle, with a desire to maintain 
the truth, and to glorify God. And 
yet how often is this rule violated! 
How often do Christian denomina- 
tions attempt to outstrip each other, 
and to see which shall be the greatest ! 
How often do ministers preach with 
no better aim ! How often do we at- 
tempt to outdo others in dress, and in 
the splendor of furniture and equi- 
page ! How often, even in plans of 
benevolence, and in the cause of vir- 
tue and religion, is the secret aim to 
outdo others. This is all wrong. There 
is no holiness in such efforts. Never 
once did the Redeemer act from such 
a motive, and never once should this 
motive be allowed to influence us. 
The conduct of others may be allow- 
ed to show us what we can do, and 
ought to do ; but it should not be our 
sole aim to outstrip them. Comp. 2 
Cor. ix. 2-4. *[[ Or vainglory. The 
word here used— kevoSo^lu — kenodoxia, 
occurs nowhere else in the New Test- 
ament, though the adjective — khv68o%- 
09 — kenodoxos, occurs once in Gal. v. 
26. See Notes on that place. It 
means properly empty pride, or glory, 
and is descriptive of vain and hollow 
parade and show. Suidas renders it, 
"any vain opinion about one's self" 
— fxaTaia tl<s Trspl eavTov oh]<xL<s. The 
idea seems to be that of mere self-es- 
teem ; a mere desire to honor our- 
selves, to attract attention, to win 
praise, to make ourselves uppermost 
or foremost. The command here sol- 
emnly forbids our doing any thing 
with such an aim, no matter whether 
it be in intellectual attainments, in 
physical strength, in skill in music, in 
eloquence or song, in dress, furniture, 
or religion. Self is not to be lore- 
most ; selfishness is not to be the mo- 
tive. Probably there is no command 



of the Bible which would have a wider 
sweep than this, or would touch on 
more points of human conduct if fair- 
ly applied. Who is there who passes 
a single day without, in some respect, 
desiring to display himself? What 
minister of the Gospel preaches who 
never has any wish to exhibit his tal- 
ents, eloquence, or learning ? How few 
make a gesture but with some wish to 
display the grace or power w T ith which 
it is done ! Who, in conversation, is 
always free from a desire to show his 
wit, or his power in argumentation, 
or his skill in repartee ? Who plays 
at the piano without the desire of 
commendation? Who thunders in 
the senate, or goes to the field of bat- 
tle ; who builds a house, or purchases 
an article of apparel; who writes a 
book, or performs a deed of benevo- 
lence, altogether uninfluenced by this 
desire? If all could be taken out of 
human conduct which is performed 
merely from "strife" or from "vain- 
glory," how small a portion would be 
left ! T[ But in loivliness of mind. Mod- 
esty, or humility. The word here 
used is the same which is rendered 
humility in Acts xx. 19; Col. ii. 18, 23 ; 
1 Pet. v. 5; humbleness in Col. iii. 12; 
and lowliness in Eph. iv. 2; Phil. ii. 3. 
It does not elsewhere occur in the 
New Testament. It here means hu- 
mility, and it stands opposed to that 
pride or self-valuation which would 
lead us to strive for the ascendency, 
or which acts from a wish for flattery 
or praise. The best and the only true 
correction of these faults is humility. 
This virtue consists in estimating our- 
selves according to truth. It is a wil- 
lingness to take the place which we 
ought to take in the sight of God and 
man ; and, having the low estimate of 
our own importance and character 
which the truth about our insignifi : 
cance as creatures and vileness as sin- 
ners would produce, it will lead us to 
a willingness to perform lowly and 
humble offices that we may benefit 
others. ^ Let each esteem other better 
than themselves. Compare 1 Pet. v. 5. 
This is one of the effects produced by 
true humility, and it naturally exists 
in every truly modest mind. The rea- 
sons arc these: (1.) We are sensible 
of our own defects, but we have not 
the same clear view of the defects of 
others. We sec our own hearts; we 
are conscious of the great corruption 
there; we have painful evidence of 



158 

ness of mind let eacli a esteem oth- 
er better than themselves. 
4 Look not every man on his b 
own things, but every .man also on 
the things of others. 

a 1 Pet. 5. 5. 6 1 Cor. 13. 5. 



the impurity of the motives which 
often actuate us — of the evil thoughts 
and corrupt desires in our own souls ; 
but we have not the same view of the 
errors, defects, and follies of others. 
We can see only their outward con- 
duct ; but, in our own case, we can 
look within. It is natural for those 
who have any just sense of the deprav- 
ity of their own souls charitably to 
hope that it is not so with others, and 
to believe that they have purer hearts. 
This will lead us to feel that they are 
worthy of more respect than we are. 
Hence this is always the characteris- 
tic of modesty and humility — graces 
which the Gospel is fitted eminently 
to produce. A truly pious man will 
be always, therefore, a humble man, 
and will wish that others should be 
preferred in office and honor to him- 
self. Of course, this will not make 
him blind to the defects of others 
when they are manifested; but he will 
be himself retiring, modest, unambi- 
tious, unobtrusive. This rule of Chris- 
tianity would strike a blow at all the 
ambition of the world. It would re- 
buke the love of office, and would pro- 
duce universal contentment in any 
low condition of life where the provi- 
dence of God may have cast our lot. 
Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. vii. 21. 

4. Look not every man on his own 
thi?igs. That is, be not selfish. Do 
not let your care and attention be 
wholly absorbed by your own con- 
cerns, or by the concerns of your own 
family. Evince a tender interest for 
the happiness of the whole, and let 
the welfare of others lie near your 
hearts. This, of course, does not mean 
that there is to be any improper inter- 
ference in the business of others, or 
that we are to have the character of 
" busy-bodies in other men's matters" 
(comp. Notes on 2Thess. iii. 11; ITim. 
v. 13 ; 1 Pet. iv. 15), but that we are to 
regard with appropriate solicitude the 
welfare of others, and to strive to do 
them good. *\But every man also on 
the things of others. It is the duty of 
every man to do this. No one is at 
liberty to live for himself, or to disre- 



[A.D. 64. 

5 Let this c mind be in you, which 
was also in Christ Jesus : 

6 Who, being d in the form of 
God, thought it not robbery to be 
equal e with God ; 

cjno. 13. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 21. d 3uo. 1.1,2. Col. 1.15. 
e Jno. 5. 18. 

gard the wants of others. The object 
of this rule is to break up the narrow 
spirit of selfishness, and to produce a 
benevolent regard for the happiness 
of others. In respect to the rule, we 
may observe, (1.) We are not to be 
''busy-bodies 1 ' in the concerns of 
others. See the references above. 
We are not to attempt to pry into 
their secret purposes. Every man has 
his own plans, and thoughts, and in- 
tentions, which no other one has a 
right to look into. No man is more 
odious than he who is an intermed- 
dler in the concerns of others. (2. ) We 
are not to obtrude our advice where 
it is not sought, or at unseasonable 
times and places, even if the advice is 
in itself good. No man likes to ba in- 
terrupted in what he is doing to hear 
advice ; and I have no right to require 
that he should suspend his business 
in order that /may give him counsel. 
(3.) We are not to find fault with what 
pertains exclusively to another. We 
are to remember that there are some 
things which are his business, not 
ours ; and we are to learn to "possess 
our souls in patience" if he does not 
give just as much as we think he 
ought to benevolent objects, or if he 
dresses in a manner not to please our 
taste, or if he indulges in things which 
do not accord exacth 7 with our views. 
He may see reasons for his conduct 
which we do not; and it is possible 
that he may be right, and that, if we 
understood' the whole case, we should 
think and act as he does. We often 
complain of a man because he does 
not give as much as we think he ought 
to objects of charity, and it is possible 
that he may be miserably niggardly 
and narrow ; but it is also possible that 
he may be more embarrassed than we 
know of, or that he may just then have 
demands against him of which we are 
ignorant, or that he may have numer- 
ous poor relatives dependent on him, 
or that he gives much with "the left 
hand" which is not known by "the 
right hand." At any rate, it is his 
business, not owrs, and we are not 
qualified to judge until we understand 



PHILIPPIANS. 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



159 



the whole case. (4.) We are not to be 
gossips about the concerns of others. 
We are not to hunt up small stories 
and petty scandals respecting their 
families ; we are not to pry into domes- 
tic affairs, and divulge them abroad, 
and find pleasure in circulating such 
things from house to house. There 
are domestic secrets which are not to 
be betrayed; and there is scarcely an 
offence of a meaner or more injurious 
character than to divulge to the pub- 
lic what we have seen in a family 
whose hospitality we have enjoyed. 
(5.) Where Christian duty and kind- 
ness require us to look into the con- 
cerns of others, there should be the 
utmost delicacy. Even children have 
their own secrets, and their own plans 
and amusements on a small scale, 
quite as important to them as the 
greater games which we are playing 
in life, and they will feel the meddle- 
someness of a busy-body to be as odi- 
ous to them as we should in our plans. 
A delicate parent, therefore, who has 
undoubtedly a right to know all about 
his children, will not rudely intrude 
into their privacies, or meddle with 
their concerns. So, when we visit the 
sick, while we show a tender sympa- 
thy for them,, we should not be too 
particular in inquiring into their mal- 
adies or* their feelings. So, when 
those with whom we sympathize have 
brought their calamities on them- 
selves by their own fault, we should 
not ask too many questions about it. 
We should not too closely examine 
one who is made poor by intemper- 
ance, or who is in prison for crime. 
And so, when we go to sympathize 
with those who have been, by a re- 
verse of circumstances, reduced from 
affluence to penury, we should not ask 
too many questions.- We should let 
them tell their own story. If they 
voluntarily make us their confidants, 
and tell us all about their circumstan- 
ces, it is well ; but let us not drag out 
the circumstances, or wound their 
feelings by our impertinent inquiries, 
or our indiscreet sympathy in their 
affairs. There are always secrets which 
the sons and daughters of misfortune 
would wish to keep to themselves. But, 
while these tilings are true, it is also 
true that the rule before us positively 
requires us to show an interest in the 
concerns of others ; and it may be re- 
garded as implying tae following 
things: (1.) We are to feel that the 



spiritual interests of every one in the 
Church is, in a certain sense, our own 
interest. The Church is one. It is 
confederated together for a common 
object. Each one is intrusted with a 
portion of the honor of the whole, and 
the conduct of one member affects the 
character of all. We are therefore to 
promote, in every way possible, the 
welfare of every other member of the 
Church. If they go astray, we are to 
admonish and entreat them; if they 
are in error, we are to instruct them ; 
if they are in trouble, we are to aid 
them. Every member of the Church 
has a claim on the sympathy of his 
brethren, and should be certain of al- 
ways finding it when his circumstan- 
ces are such as to demand it. (2.) 
There are circumstances where it is 
proper to look with special interest 
on the temporal concerns of others. 
It is when the poor, the fatherless, 
and the afflicted must be sought out in 
order to be aided and relieved. They 
are too retiring and modest to press 
their situation on the attention of 
others,, and they need that others 
should manifest a generous care in 
their welfare in order to relieve them. 
This is not improper interference in 
their concerns, nor will it be so re- 
garded. (3.) For a similar reason, we 
should seek the welfare of all others 
in a spiritual sense. We should seek 
to arouse the sinner, and lead him to 
the Saviour. He is blind, and will not 
come himself; unconcerned, and will 
not seek salvation; filled with the 
love of this world, and will not seek a 
better; devoted to pursuits that will 
lead him to ruin, and he ought to be 
aj)prized of it. It is no more an im- 
proper interference in his concerns to 
apprize him of his condition, and to 
attempt to lead him to the Saviour, 
than it is to warn a man in a dark 
night, who walks on the verge of a 
precipice, of his peril; or to arouse 
one from sleep whose house is in 
flames. It is no more intermeddling 
with the concerns of another to tell 
him that there is a glorious heaven 
which may be his, than it is to apprize 
a man that there is a mine of golden 
ore on his farm. It is for the man's 
own interest, and it is the office of a 
friend to remind him of these things. 
He does a man a favor who tells him 
that he has a Redeemer, and that there 
is a lieavim to which he may rise; he 
does his neighbor the greatest possi- 



160 



PHILIPPIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



ble kindness who apprizes him that 
there is a world of infinite woe, and 
tells him of an easy way by which he 
may avoid it. The world around is 
dependent on the Church of Christ to 
be apprized of these truths. The gay 
will not warn the. gay of their danger ; 
the crowd that presses to the theatre 
or the ballroom will not apprize those 
who are there that they are in the 
broad way to hell ; and every one who 
loves his neighbor should feel suffi- 
cient interest in him to tell him that 
he may be eternally happy in heaven. 

5. Let this mind be in you, ivhich was 
also in Christ Jesus. The object of this 
reference to the example of the Sav- 
iour is particularly to enforce the duty 
of humility. This was the highest ex- 
ample which could be furnished, and 
it would illustrate and confirm all that 
the apostle had said of this virtue. The 
principle in the case is, that we are to 
make the Lord Jesus our model, and 
are in all respects to frame our lives, 
as far as possible, in accordance with 
this great example. The point here 
is, that he left a state of inexpressible 
glory, and took upon him the most 
humble form of humanity, and per- 
formed the most lowly offices, that he 
might benefit us. 

6. Who, being in the form of God. 
There is scarcely any passage in the 
New Testament which has given rise 
to more discussion than this. The 
importance of the passage on the ques- 
tion of the divinity of the Saviour will 
be perceived at once, and no small part 
of t he point of the appeal by the apos- 
tle depends, as will be seen, on the fact 
that Paul regarded the Redeemer as 
equal with God. If he was truly di- 
vine, then his consenting to become a 
man was the most remarkable of all 
possible acts of h umil iation. The 
word rendered/orm — /xopcpv, morphe — 
occurs only in three places in the New 
Testament, and in each place is ren- 
dered form. Mark xvi. 12. Phil, it 6, 
7. In Mark it is applied to the fonn 
which Jesus assumed after his resur- 
rection, and in which he appeared to 
two of his disciples on his way to Em- 
maus : "After that he appeared in an- 
other/o?-m unto two of them." This 
"form" was so unlike his usual ap- 
pearance that they did not know him. 
The word properly means form, shape, 
bodily shape, especially a beautiful 
form, a beautiful bodily appearance.— 
Passow. In ver. 7 it is applied to the 



appearance of a servant — "and took 
upon himthefor?n of a servant;" that 
is, he was in the condition of a serv- 
ant, or of the lowest condition. The 
word/orm is often applied to the gods 
by the classic writers, denoting their 
aspect or appearance when they be- 
came visible to men. See Cicero, de 
Nat.Deor.,ii.,2; Ovid, Met., L, 73; Sil- 
ius, xiii., 643; Xenophon, Memorabil., 
iv. ; ^Eniad, iv., 556, and other places 
cited by Wetstein, in loco. Hesychius 
explains it by idia, eIoos. The word 
occurs often in the Septuagint, (1.) as 

the translation of the wordl^S — Ziv — 

splendor, Dan. iv. 33 ; v. 6, 9, 10 ; vii. 
28; (2.) as the translation of the word 

rnaistn— Tabnith, structure, model, 

pattern — as in building, Isa. xliv. 13 ; 

(3.) as the translation of Jrtf^ft— te- 

muna — appearance, form, shape, im- 
age, likeness, Job iv. 16. See also the 
Book of Wisdom, xviii. 1. The word 
can have here only one of two mean- 
ings — either (1.) splendor, majesty, 
glory, referring to the honor which 
the Redeemer had, his power to work 
miracles, etc., or (2.) nature, or es- 
sence, meaning the same as <pvo-L?, 
nature, or ovaia, being. The first is 
the opinion adopted by Crellius, Gro- 
tius, and others, and substantially by 
Calvin. Calvin says, "The form of 
God here denotes majesty. For as a 
man is known from the' appearance 
of his form, so the majesty which 
shines in God is his figure. Or, to use 
a more appropriate similitude, the 
form of a king consists of the exter- 
nal marks which indicate a king, as his 
sceptre, diadem, coat of mail, attend- 
ants, throne, and other insignia of roy- 

| alty ; the form of a consul is the toga, 
ivory chair, attending lictors, etc. 
Therefore Christ, before the founda- 

1 tion of the world, was in the form of 
God, because he had glory with the 
Father before the world was. John 

i xvii. 5. For in the wisdom of God, 
before he put on our nature, there was 
nothing humble or abject, but there 

i was magnificence worthy of God." — 
Comm. i?i loc. The second opinion is, 
that the word is equivalent to nature, 
or being ; that is, that he was in the 
nature of God, or that his mode of 
existence was that of God, or was di- 
vine. This is the opinion adopted by 
Schleusner (Lex.), Prof. Stuart (Setters 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



161 



to Dr. Chanrdng, p. 40), Doddridge, and I 
by orthodox expositors in general, and 
seems to me to be the correct inter- I 
pretation. In support of this inter- 
pretation, and in opposition to that 
which refers it to his power of work- 
ing miracles, or his divine appearance j 
when on earth, we may adduce the I 
following considerations: (1.) The j 
"form" here referred to must have 
been something before he became a 
man, or before he took upon him the 
form of a servant. It was something 
from which he humbled himself by 
making " himself of no reputation ;" 
by taking upon himself " the form of j 
a servant; 11 and by being made " in the 
likeness of men." Of course, it must 
have been something which existed 
when he had not the likeness of men ; 
that is, before he became incarnate. He 
must therefore have had an existence 
before he appeared on earth as a man, 
and in that previous state of exist- 
ence there must have been something 
which rendered it proper to say that 
he was "in the form of God." (2.) That 
it does not refer to any moral quali- 
ties, or to his power of working mira- 
cles on earth, is apparent from the | 
fact that these were not laid aside, j 
When did he divest himself of these | 
in order that he might humble him- I 
self? There was something which he I 
possessed which made it proper to say 
of him that he was "in the form of { 
God, 1 ' which he did lay aside when he 
appeared in the form of a servant and j 
in the likeness of men. But assuredly j 
that could not have been his moral j 
qualities, nor is there any conceivable 
sense in which it can be said that he 
divested himself of the power of work- j 
ing miracles in order that he might i 
take upon himself the "form ofaserv- j 
ant. 11 All the miracles which he ever 
wrought were performed when he sus- 
tained the form of a servant, in his j 
lowly and humble condition. These 
considerations make it certain that ! 
the apostle refers to a period before . 
the incarnation. It may be added (3.) 
that the phrase " form of God 11 is one 
that naturally conveys the idea that ! 
he was God. When it is said that he j 
was "in the form of a servant," the | 
idea is, that he was actually in a hum- 
ble and depressed condition, and not i 
merely that he appeared to be. Still 
it may be asked, what was the " form 1 ' ' 
which he had before his incarnation ? 
What is meant by his having been j 



then " in the form of God ?" To these 
questions perhaps no satisfactory an- 
swer can be given. He himself speaks 
(John xvii. 5) of " the glory which he 
had with the Father before the world 
was;" and that language naturally con- 
veys the idea that there was then a 
manifestation of the divine nature 
through him which in some measure 
ceased when he became incarnate; 
that there was some visible splendor 
and majesty which was then laid aside. 
What manifestation of his glory God 
may make in the heavenly world, of 
course, we can not now fully under- 
stand. Nothing forbids us, however, 
to suppose that there is some such 
visible manifestation ; some splendor 
and magnificence of God in the view 
of the angelic beings such as becomes 
the Great Sovereign of the universe — 
for he " dwells in light which no man 
can apx3roach unto." 1 Tim. vi. 16. 
That glory, visible manifestation, or 
splendor, indicating the nature of 
God, it is here said that the Lord Je- 
sus possessed before his incarnation. 
U Thought it not robbery to be equal with 
God. This passage, also, has given 
occasion to much discussion. Prof. 
Stuart renders it, "did not regard his 
equality with God as an object of so- 
licitous desire," that is, though he 
was of a divine nature or condition, 
he did not eagerly seek to retain his 
equality with God, but took on him 
an humble condition— even that of a 
servant. — Letters to Channing, p. 88-92. 
That this is the correct rendering of 
the passage is apparent from the fol- 
lowing considerations: (1.) It accords 
with the scope and design of the apos- 
tle's reasoning. His object is not to 
show, as our common translation 
would seem to imply, that he aspired 
to be equal with God, or that he did 
not regard it as an improper invasion 
of the prerogatives of God to be e'qual 
with him, but that he did not regard 
it, in the circumstances of the case, 
as an object to, be greatly desired, or 
eagerly sought to retain his equality 
with God. Instead of retaining this 
by an earnest effort, or by a grasp 
which he was unwilling to relinquish, 
he chose to forego the dignity, and to 
assume the humble condition of a 
man. (2.) It accords better with the 
Greek than the common version. The 
word rendered robbery — ap-rr ay fi6<s, 
harpagmos—i& found nowhere else in 
the New Testament, though the verb 



162 



PHILIPPIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



7 But a made himself of no repu- 
tation, and took upon him the 

a Psa. 22. 6. 



form of a servant, h and was made 
in the 1 likeness of men : 



from which it is derived frequently 
occurs. Matt. xi. 12 ; xiii. 19. John 
vi.15; x.12, 28, 29. Actsviii. 29; xxxiii. 
10. 2Cor.xii.2,4. IThess.iv. 17. Jude 
23. Rev. xii. 5. The notion of violence, 
seizing, or carrying away, enters into 
the meaning of the word in all these 
places. The word here used does not 
properly mean an act of robbery, but 
. the thing robbed— the plunder — dasRau- 
ben\Passow), and hence something to 
be eagerly seized and appropriated. — 
Schleusner. Compare Storr, Opuseul. 
Acacle. , i. , 322, 323. According to this, 
the meaning of the word here is, some- 
thing to be seized and eagerly sought, 
and the sense is, that his being equal 
with God ivas not a thing to be anxious- 
ly sought, urged, or retained. The 
phrase "thought it not" means u did 
not consider;" it was not judged to 
be a matter of such importance that 
it could not be dispensed with. The 
sense is, " he did not eagerly seize and 
tenaciously hold" as one does who 
seizes prey or spoil. So Rosenmiiller, 
Schleusner, Bloomfield, Stuart, and 
others understand it. H To be equal 
with God — to iivai lcra»0£o). That is, 
the being equal with God he did not 
consider a thing to be tenaciously re- 
tained. The plural neuter form of 
the w r ord equal in Greek — laa — is used 
in accordance with a known rule of 
the language, thus stated by Buttman. 
"When an adjective as predicate is 
separated from its substantive, it oft- 
en stands in the neuter where the sub- 
stantive is a masculine or feminine, 
and in the singular where the sub- 
stantive is in the plural. That which 
the predicate expresses is, in this case, 
considered in general as a thing." — 
Gr. Gram. , § 129, 6. The phrase ' ' equal 
with God," or " equal with the gods," 
is of frequent occurrence in the Greek 
Classics. See Wetstein in loco. The 
very phrase here used occurs in the 
Odyssey, O. 

Tov vvv icra Qe<Z 7 l2raKt]crtoi e.cropoocxTi. 

Comp. John v. 18. "Made himself 
equal with God." The phrase means 
one who sustains the. same rank, dig- 
nity, nature. Now it could not be 
said of an angel that he was in any 
sense equal with God, much less could 
this be said of a mere man. The nat- 



ural and obvious meaning of the lan- 
guage is, that there was an equality 
of nature and of rank with God, from 
which he humbled himself when he 
became a man. The meaning of the 
whole verse, according to the inter- 
pretation suggested above, is, that 
Christ, before he became a man, was 
invested with honor, majesty, and 
glory, such as was appropriate to God 
himself; that there was some mani- 
festation, or splendor in his existence 
and mode of being then, which show- 
ed that he was equal with God; that 
he did not consider that that honor, 
indicating equality with God, was to 
be retained at all events, and so as to 
do violence, as it were, to other inter- 
ests, and to rob the universe of the 
glory of redemption ; and that he was 
willing, therefore, to forget that, or 
lay it by for a time, in order that he 
might redeem the world. There was 
a glory and a majesty which was ap- 
propriate to God, and which indicated 
equality with God, such as none but 
God could assume. For how could 
an angel have such glory, or such ex- 
ternal splendor in heaven, as to make 
it proper to say that he was "equal 
with God ?" With what glory could 
he be invested which would be such 
as became God only? The fair inter- 
pretation of this passage, therefore, is, 
that Christ before his incarnation was 
equal with God. 

7. But made himself of no reputation. 
This translation by no means conveys 
the sense of the original. According 
to this, it would seem that he consent- 
ed to be without distinction or honor 
among men, or that he was willing to 
be despised or disregarded. The 
Greek is kavTov EKtvcoat. The word 
k&vou) means literally to empty, to make 
empty, to make vain or void. It is ren- 
| dered made void in Rom. iv. 14; made 
I of none effect, 1 Cor. i. 17 ; make void, 1 
i Cor. ix. 15 ; should be vain, 2 Cor. ix. 3. 
The word does not occur elsewhere 
in the New Testament, except in the 
! passage before us. The essential idea 
! is that of bringing to emptiness, van- 
| ity, or nothingness; and hence it is 
applied to a case where one lays aside 
his rank and dignity, and becomes in 
\ respect to that as notlditg ; that is, he 
I assumes a more humble rank and sta- 



A.D. 64. j 



CHAPTER II. 



163 



8 And being found in fashion as j became a obedient unto death, 
a man, he humbled himself, and ' even the death of the cross. 

a Heb. 12.2. 



tion. In regard to its meaning here, 
we may remark, (1.) that it can not 
mean that he literally divested himself 
of his divine nature and perfections, j 
for that was impossible. He could 
not cease to be omnipotent, and om- 
nipresent, and most holy, true, and 
good. (2.) It is conceivable that he 
might have laid aside, for a time, the 
symbols or the manifestation of his 
glory, or that the outward expressions 
of his majesty in heaven might have 
been withdrawn. It is conceivable \ 
for a divine being to intermit the ex- 
ercise of his almighty power, since it 
can not be supposed that God is al- j 
ways exerting his power to the utmost. 
And in like manner there might be 
for a time a laying aside or intermit- 
ting of these manifestations or sym- 
bols which were expressive of the di- 
vine glory and perfections. Yet (3.) 
this supposes no change in the divine 
nature, or in the essential glory of the 
divine perfections. When the sun is 
obscured by a cloud, or in an eclipse, 
there is no real change of its glory, 
nor are his beams extinguished, nor is 
the sun himself in any measure 
changed. His lustre is only for a time 
obscured. So it might have been in 
regard to the manifestation of the glo- 
ry of the Son of God. Of course, there 
is much in regard to this which is ob- 
scure, but the language of the apostle 
undoubtedly implies more than that 
lie took a humble place, or that he 
demeaned himself in a humble man- 
ner. In regard to the actual change 
respecting his manifestations in heav- 
en, or the withdrawing of the symbols 
of his glory there, the Scriptures are 
nearly silent, and conjecture is useless 
— perhaps improper. The language i 
before us fairly implies that he laid I 
aside that which was expressive of his j 
being divine— that glory which is in- 
volved in the phrase u being in the 
form of God," and that he took upon 
himself another form and manifesta- 
tion in the condition of a servant. | 
If And took upon him the form of a serv- 
ant. The phrase "form of a servant" 
.should be allowed to explain the j 
phrase "form of God" in ver. 6. The 
"form of a servant" is that which in- 
dicates the condition of a servant, in 
contradistinction from one of higher 



rank. It means to appear as«a serv- 
ant ; to perform the offices of a serv- 
ant ; to be regarded as such. He was 
made like a servant in the lowly con- 
dition which he assumed. The whole 
connection and force of the argument 
here demands this interpretation. 
Storr and Rpsenmuller interpret this 
as meaning that he became the servant 
or minister of God, and that in doing 
it, it was necessary that he should be- 
come a man. But this greatly weak- 
ens the force of the apostle's argu- 
ment. His object is to state the depth 
of humiliation to which he descended, 
and this was best done by saying that 
he descended to the lowest condition 
of h umanity, and appeared in the most 
humble garb. The idea of being a 
"servant or minister of God" would 
not express that, for this is a term 
which might be applied to the highest 
angel in heaven. Though the Lord 
Jesus was not literally a servant or 
slave, yet what is here affirmed was 
true of him in the following respects : 
(1.) he occupied a most lowly condi- 
tion in life; and (2.) he condescended 
to perform such acts as are appropri- 
ate only to those who are servants. 
U I am among you as he that serveth." 
Luke xxii. 27. Comp. John xiii. 4-15. 
H And was made in the likeness of men. 
Marg., habit. The Greek word means 
likeness, resemblance. The meaning is, 
he was made like unto men by assum- 
ing such a body as theirs. See Notes 
on ch. viii. 3. 

• 8. And being found. That is, being 
such, or existing as a man, he humbled 
himself. U In fashion as a man. The 
w o r d re n d e red fash ion— <r x?7m a — m ean s 
figure, mien, deportment. Here it is 
the same as state, or condition. The 
sense is, that when he was reduced to 
this condition he humbled himself, 
and obeyed even unto death. He took 
upon himself all the attributes of a 
man. He assumed all the innocent in- 
firmities of our nature. He appeared 
as other men do; was subjected to 
the necessity of food and raiment, like 
others, and was made liable to suffer- 
ing, as other men are. It was still he 
who had been in the "form «f God" 
who thus appeared; and, though his 
divine glory was for a time Laid aside, 
yet it was not extinguished or lost. 



164 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



9 Wherefore a God also hath 
highly exalted him, and given him 

a Heb. 2. 9. Rev. 3. 21. 



a name which is above every 
name : 



It is • important to remember, in all 
our meditations on the Saviour that it 
was the same Being who had been in- 
vested with so much glory in heaven 
that appeared on earth in the form of 
a man. ^ He humbled himself. Even j 
then, when he appeared as a man. He 
had not only laid aside the. symbols of 
his glory (ver. 7), and become a man ; 
but^when he was a ma?i, he humbled 
himself Humiliation was a constant 
characteristic of him as a man. He j 
did not aspire to high honors; he did | 
not affect pomp and parade ; he did 
not demand the service of a train of 
menials ; he condescended to the low- 
est conditions of life, Luke xxii. 27. 
The words here are very carefully 
chosen. In the former case (ver. 7), 
when he became a man, he "emptied ! 
himself," or laid aside the symbols of 
his glory; now, ivhe?i a man, he hum- 
bled himself. That is, though he was 
God appearing in the form of man— a 
divine person on earth — yet he did 
not assume and assert the dignity and 
prerogatives appropriate to a divine 
being, but put himself in a condition I 
of obedience. For such a being to 
obey law implied voluntary humilia- 
tion, and the greatness of his humilia- 
tion was shown by his becoming en- 
tirely obedient, even till he died on 
the cross. ^| And became obedient. He j 
subjected himself to the law of God, ; 
and wholly obeyed it. Heb. x. 7, 9. It 
was a characteristic of the Redeemer j 
that he yielded perfect obedience to 
the will of God. Should it be said 
that, if he was God himself, he must | 
have been himself the lawgiver, we I 
may reply that this rendered his obe- j 
dience the more wonderful and the j 
more meritorious. If a monarch 
should for an important purpose place j 
himself in a position to obey his own I 
laws, nothing could show in a more 
striking manner their importance in 
his view. The highest honor that has ! 
been shown to the law of God on 
earth was that it was perfectly ob- 
served by him who made the law — 
• the great Mediator. 1 Unto death. He 
obeyed even when obedience termi- j 
nated in death. The point of this ex- 
pression is this : One may readily and ! 
cheerfully obey another where there 
is no particular peril. But the case is j 



different where obedience is attended 
with danger. The child shows a spirit 
of true obedience when he yields to 
the commands of a father, though it 
should expose him to hazard; the 
servant or slave who obeys his mas- 
ter, when obedience is attended with 
risk of life ; the soldier, when he is 
morally certain that to obey will be 
followed by death. Thus many a com- 
pany or platoon has been ordered into 
the "deadly breach," or directed to 
storm a redoubt, or to scale a wall, or 
to face a cannon, w T hen it was morally 
certain that death would be the con- 
sequence. No profounder spirit of 
obedience can be evinced than this. 
It should be said, however, that the 
obedience of the soldier, and the serv- 
ant or slave, is in many cases scarcely 
voluntary, since, if he did not obey, 
death would be the penalty. But in 
the case of the Redeemer it was whol- 
ly voluntary. He placed himself in 
the condition of a servant to do the 
will of God, and then never shrank 
from what that condition involved. 
\Even the death of the cross. It was 
not such a death as a servant might 
incur by crossing a stream, or by fall- 
ing among robbers, or by being worn 
out by toil; it was not such as the 
soldier meets when he is suddenly cut 
down, covered with glory as he falls ; 
it was the long, lingering, painful, hu- 
miliating death of the cross. Many a 
one might be willing to obey if the 
death that was suffered was regarded 
as glorious ; but when it is ignomini- 
ous, and of the most degrading char- 
acter, and the most torturing that hu- 
man ingenuity can invent, then the 
whole character of the obedience is 
changed. Yet this was the obedience 
which the Lord Jesus evinced, and it 
was in this way that his readiness to 
suffer was shown. 

9. Wherefore. As a reward of this 
humiliation and these sufferings. The 
idea is, that there was an appropriate 
reward for it, and that that was be- 
stowed upon him by his exaltation as 
Mediator to the right hand of God. 
Comp. Notes on Heb. ii. 9. U God also 
hath highly exalted him. As Mediator. 
Though he was thus humbled, and ap- 
peared in the form of a servant, he is 
now raised up to the throne of glory 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



165 



10 That at the name of Jesus ev- 
ery a knee should bow, of things in 



a Isa. 45. 23. Rev. 5. 13. 



heaven, and things in earth, and 
things under the earth ; 



and to universal dominion. This ex- 
altation is spoken of the Redeemer as 
he was, sustaining a divine and a hu- I 
man nature. If there was, as has been 
supposed, some obscuration or with 
drawing of the symbols of his glory 
(ver. 7) when he became a man, then 
this refers to the restoration of that 
glory, and would seem to imply, also, j 
that there was additional honor con- 
ferred on him. There was all the aug- 
mented glory resulting from the work 
which he had performed in redeeming | 
man. U And given him a name which is 
above every name. No other name can 
be compared with his. It stands 
alone. He only is Redeemer, Saviour. 
He only is Christ, the Anointed of 
God. See Notes on Hebrews i. 4. He 
only is the Son of God. His rank, his 
titles, his dignity, are above all others. 
See this illustrated in the Notes on 
Eph. i. 20, 21. 

10. That at the name of Jesus every 
knee should bow. The knee should bow 
or bend in token of honor or worship ; 
that is, all men should adore him. 
This can not mean merely that -at the 
mention of the name of Jesus we should 
bow; nor is there any evidence that 
God requires this. Why should we 
bow at the mention of that name rath- 
er than at any of the other titles of 
the Redeemer? Is there any special 
sacredness or honor in it above the 
other names which he bears? And 
why should we bow at his name rath- 
er than at the name of the Father? 
Besides, if any special homage is to be 
paid to the name of the Saviour un- 
der the authority of this passage — and 
this is the only one on which the au- 
thority of this custom is based— it 
should be by bowing the knee, not the 
head. But the truth is, this author- 
izes and requires neither; and the cus- 
tom of bowing at the name of Jesus, 
in some churches, has arisen entirely 
from a misinterpretation of this pas- 
sage. There is no other place in the 
Bible to which an appeal is made to 
authorize the custom. Comp. Neat's 
History of the Puritans, part i., ch. v., 
5. The meaning here is, not that a 
special act of respect or adoration 
should be shown wherever the name 
"Jesus" occurs in reading the Script- 
ures, or whenever it is mentioned, but 



that he was so exalted that it would 
be proper that all in heaven and on 
earth should worship him, and that 
the time would come when he would 
be thus every where acknowledged as 
Lord. The bowing of the knee prop- 
erly expresses homage, respect, adora- 
tion (compare Notes on Rom. xi. 4); 
and it can not be done to the Saviour 
by those who are in heaven unless he 
is divine. If Of things in heaven — sttou- 
pavLcvu — rather, of beings in heaven, 
the word "things" being improperly 
supplied by our translators. The 
word may be in the neuter plural ; but 
it may be also in the masculine plural, 
and denote beings rather than things. 
Things do not bow the knee; and the 
reference here is undoubtedly to an- 
gels, and to the "spirits of the just 
made perfect" in heaven. If Jesus 
is worshipped there, he is divine; for 
there is no idolatry of a creature in 
heaven. In this whole passage there 
is probably an allusion to Isa^xlv. 23. 
See it illustrated in the Notes on Rom. 
I xiv. 11. In the great divisions here 
! specified— of those in heaven, on the 
! earth, and under the earth — the apos- 
| tie intends, doubtless, to denote the 
universe. The same mode of desig- 
nating the universe occurs in Rev. v. 
13. Exod. xx. 4. Comp. Psa. xcvi. 11, 
12. This mode of expression is equiv- 
alent to saying "all that is above, 
around, and beneath us," and arises 
from what appears to us. The division 
is natural and obvious— that which is 
above us in the heavens, that which is 
on the earth where we dwell, and all 
that is beneath us. ^And things in 
earth. Rather, "beings on earth," to 
wit, men; for they only are capable of 
rendering homage. H And things un- 
der the earth. Beings under the earth. 
The whole universe will confess that 
he is Lord. This embraces, doubtless, 
those who have departed from this 
life, and perhaps includes also fallen 
angels. The meaning is, that they 
will all acknowledge him as universal 
Lord ; all bow to his sovereign will ; 
all be subject to his control ; all rec- 
ognize him as divine. The fallen and 
the lost will do this, for they will be 
constrained to yield an unwilling 
homage to him by submitting to the 
sentence from hi^lips that shall con- 



166 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. G4. 



11 And that every tongue should 
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, a 
to the glory of God the Father. 



iJno.13.13. Rom. 14.9. 



12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 
have always obeyed, not as in my 
presence only, but now much more 



sign them to woe; and thus the whole 
universe will acknowledge the exalt- 
ed dignity of the Son of God. But 
this does not mean that they will all 
be saved, for the guilty and the lost 
may be compelled to acknowledge his 
power, and submit to his decree as 
the sovereign of the universe. There 
is the free and cheerful homage of the 
heart which they who worship him in 
heaven will render, and there is the 
constrained homage which they must 
yield who are compelled to acknowl- 
edge his authority. 

11. And that every tongue should con- 
fess. Every one should acknowledge 
him. On the duty and importance of 
confessing Christ, see Notes on Rom. 
x. 9, 10. That Jesus Christ is Lord. 
The word Lord, here, is used in its 
primitive and proper sense as denot- 
ing owner, ruler, sovereign. Comp. 
Notes on Rom. xiv. 9. The meaning 
is, that all should acknowledge him 
as the universal sovereign. If To the 
glory of God the Father. Such a uni- 
versal confession would honor God. 
See Notes on J ohn v. 23, where this 
sentiment is explained. 

12. Wherefore, ray beloved, as ye have 
always obeyed. The Philippians had 
from the beginning manifested a re- 
markable readiness to show respect to 
the apostle, and to listen to his teach- 
ing. This readiness he more than once 
refers to and commends. He still ap- 
peals to them, and urges them to fol- 
low his counsels, that they might se- 
cure their salvation. ^Now much more 
in my absence. Though they had been 
obedient when he was with them, yet 
circumstances had occurred in his ab- 
sence which made their obedience 
more remarkable, and more worthy 
of special commendation. ^ Work out : 
your own salvation. This important ' 
command was first addressed to Chris- j 
tians, but there is no reason why the j 
same command should not be regard- j 
ed as addressed to all, for it is equally I 
applicable to all. The duty of doing 
this is enjoined here; the reason for i 
making the effort, or the encourage- 
ment for the effort, is stated in the I 
next verse. In regard to the com- I 
mand, it is natural to inquire why it 
is a duty, and what^s necessary to be 1 



done in order to comply with it ? On 
the first of these inquiries, it may be 
observed that it is a duty to make a 
personal effort to secure salvation, or 
to work out our salvation: (1.) Be- 
cause God commands it. There is no 
command more frequently repeated in 
the Scriptures than the command to 
make to ourselves a new heart ; to 
strive to enter in at the strait gate; 
to break off from sin, and to repent. 
(2.) It is a duty, because it is our own 
personal interest that is at stake. No 
other one has, or can have, as much 
interest in our salvation as we our- 
selves have. It is every man's duty to 
be as happy as possible here, and to 
be prepared for happiness in the fu- 
ture world. No man has a right either 
to throw away his life or his soul. He 
has no more right to do the one than 
the other ; and if it is a man's duty to 
endeavor to save his life when in dan- 
ger of drowning, it is no less his duty 
to endeavor to save his soul when in 
clanger of hell. (3. ) Our earthly friends 
can not save us. No effort of theirs 
can deliver us from eternal death with- 
out our own exertion. Great as may 
be their solicitude for us, and much 
as they may do, there is a point where 
their efforts must stop, and that point 
is always short of our salvation, unless 
we are roused to seek it for ourselves. 
They may pray, and weep, and plead, 
but they can not save us. There is a 
work to be done on our own hearts 
which they can not do. (4.) It is a duty, 
because the salvation of the soul will 
not take care of itself without an ef- 
fort on our part. There is no more 
reason to suppose this than thathealth 
and life will take care of themselves 
without our own exertions. And yet 
many live as if they supposed that 
somehow all would yet be well; that 
the matter of salvation need not give 
them any concern, for that things ioiH 
so arrange themselves that they will be 
saved. Why should they suppose this 
any more in regard to religion than in 
regard to any thing else? (5.) It is a 
duty, because there is no reason to ex- 
pect the divine interposition without 
our own effort. No such interposi- 
tion is promised to any man, and why 
should he expect it? In the case of 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



167 



in my absence, work a out your | 13 For it is God c which worketh 
own salvation with fear b and in you both to will and to do of 
trembling : j his good pleasure. 

27-29. Heb.4. 11. 2 Pet. 1. b Eph. 6. 5. cHeb. 13.21. 



a Prov. 10. 16. Jno, 
5-10. 



all who have been saved, they have 
made an effort, and why should we 
expect that God will favor us more 
than he did them ? " God helps them 
who help themselves;" and what rea- 
son has any man to suppose that he 
will interfere in his case and save him, 
if he will put forth no effort to " work 
out his own salvation ?" In regard 
to the other inquiry — What does the 
command imply, or what is necessary 
to be done in order to comply with it? 
we may observe, that it does not mean 
(1.) that we are to attempt to secure 
our salvation on the ground of our 
own merits. That is out of the ques- 
tion; for what can man do that will 
be an equivalent for eternal happiness 
in heaven ? Nor (2.) does it mean that 
we are to endeavor to make atone- 
ment for our past sins. That would 
be equally impossible, and it is, be- 
sides, unnecessary. That work has 
been done by the great Redeemer. 
But it means (1.) that we are to make 
an honest effort to be saved in the way 
which God has appointed; (2.) that 
we are to break off from our sins by 
true repentance; (3.) that we are to 
believe in the Saviour, and honestly 
to put our trust in him ; (4.) that we 
are to give up all that we have to God ; 
(5.) that we are to abandon all evil 
companions and all evil plans of life ; 
and (6.) that we are to resist all the 
allurements of the world, and all the 
temptations which may assail us that 
would lead us back from God, and are 
to persevere unto the end. The great 
difficulty in working out our salvation 
is in forming a purpose to begin at once. 
When that purpose is formed, salva- 
tion is easy. \ With fear and trembling. 
Fear of failure, and an eager anxiety to 
obtain the object. That is, with that 
kind of anxiety which one has who 
feels that he has an important interest 
at stake, and that he is in danger of 
losing it. The reason or the ground 
for "fear" in this case is in general 
this: there is danger of losing the soid.- 
(1.) So many persons make, shipwreck 
of all hope and perish, that there is 
danger that we may also. (2.) There 
are so many temptations and allure- 
ments in the world, and so many tilings 



that lead us to defer attention to re- 
ligion, that there is danger that we 
may be lost. (3.) There is danger that 
if the present opportunity passes, an- 
other may not occur. Death may soon 
overtake us. No one has a moment 
to lose. No one can designate one sin- 
gle moment of his life, and say, "I may 
safely lose that moment. I may safely 
spend it in the neglect of my soul." 
(4.) It should be done with the most 
earnest concern, from the immensity 
of the interest at stake. If the soul is 
lost, all is lost. And who is there that 
can estimate the value of that soul 
which is thus in danger of being lost 
forever? 

13. For it is God which worketh in you. 
This is given as a reason for making an 
effort to be saved, or for working out 
our salvation. It is often thought to 
be the very reverse, and men often feel 
that if God works "in us to will and 
to do," there can be no need of their 
making an effort, and that there would 
be no use in it. If God does all the 
work, say they, why should we not pa- 
tiently sit still, and wait until he puts 
forth his power and accomplishes in 
us what he wills ? It is of importance, 
therefore, to understand what this 
declaration of the apostle means, in 
order to see whether this objection is 
valid, or whether the fact that God 
" works in us" is to be regarded as a 
! reason why vie should make no effort. 
I The word rendered worketh— kvtpywv, 
ivorking—is from a verb meaning to 
work, to be active, to produce effect, 
and is that from which we have de- 
! rived the word energetic. The mean- 
! ing is, that God produces a certain ef- 
| feet in us; he exerts such an influence 
j over us as to lead to a certain result 
in our minds, to wit, "to will and to 
do." Nothing is said of the mode in 
which this is done, and probably this 
can not be understood by us here. 
Comp. John iii. 8. In regard to the 
divine agency here referred to, how- 
ever, certain things, though of a nega- 
tive character, are clear. (1.) It is not 

God who acts for us. He leads us to 
"will and to do." It is not said that 
he "'His and docs for us, and it can not 
be. It is man that " wills and does," 



168 



PHILIPPIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



though God so influences him that he 
does it. (2.) He does not compel or 
force us against our will. He leads 
us to "will" as well as to " do." The 
will can not be forced; and the mean- 
ing here must be that God exerts such 
an influence as to make us willing to 
obey him. Comp. Psa. ex. 3. (3.) It 
is not a physical force, but it must be 
a moral influence. A physical power 
can not act on the will. You may 
chain a man, incarcerate him in the 
deepest dungeon, starve him, scourge 
him, apply red-hot pincers to his flesh, 
or place on him the thumb-screw, but 
the will is still free. You can not bend 
that, or control it, or make him believe 
otherwise than as he chooses to believe. 
The declaration here, therefore, can 
not mean that God compels us, or that 
we are any thing else but free agents 
still, though he "works in us to will 
and to do." It must mean merely that 
he exerts such an influence as^to se- 
cure this result. H To will and to do of 
his good pleasure. Not to will an d to do 
every thing, but his "good pleasure." 
The extent of the divine agency here 
referred to is limited to that, and no 
man should adduce this passage to 
prove that God "works" in him to 
lead him to commit sin. This passage 
teaches no such doctrine. It refers 
here to Christians, and means that he 
works in their hearts that which is 
agreeable to him, or leads them to 
"will and to do" that which is in ac- 
cordance with his own will. The word 
rendered "good pleasure" — EvdcKia — 
means delight, good ivill, favor; then 
good pleasure, purpose, will. See Eph. 
i. 5. 2 Thess. i. 11. Here it means 
that which would be agreeable to him ; 
and the idea is, that he exerts such 
an influence as to lead men to will and 
to do that which is in accordance with 
his will. Paul regarded this fact as a 
reason why we should work out our 
salvation with fear and trembling. It 
is with that view that he urges it, and 
not with any idea that it will embar- 
rass our efforts, or be a hinderance to 
us in seeking salvation. The question 
then is, how this fact can be a motive 
to us to make an effort? In regard 
to this we may observe, (1.) That the 
work of our salvation is such that we 
need help, and such help as God only 
can impart. We need it to enable us 
to overcome our sins ; to give us such 
a view of them as to produce true pen- 
itence, to induce us to break away 



i from our evil companions ; to lead us 
i to give up our plans of evil, and to re- 
| solve to lead different lives. We need 
help that our minds may be enlight- 
ened ; that we may be led in the way 
! of truth ; that we may be saved from 
the danger of error, arid that we may 
not be suffered to fall back into the 
I ways of transgression. Such help we 
j should welcome from any quarter; 
j and any assistance furnished on these 
j points will not interfere with our free- 
| dom. (2.) The influence which God 
I exerts on the mind is in the way of 
j help or aid. What he does will not 
embarrass or hinder us. It will pre- 
vent no effort which we make to be 
saved; it will throw no hinderance or 
obstacle in the way. When we speak 
of God's working "in us to will and 
to do," men often seem to suppose 
that his agency will hinder us, or throw 
some obstacle in our way, or exert 
I some evil influence on our minds, or 
| make it more difficult for us to work 
out our salvation than it would be 
without his agency. But this can not 
be. We may be sure that all the in- 
I fluence which God exerts over our 
j minds will be to assist us in the work 
j of salvation, not to embarrass us ; will 
! be to enable us to overcome our spir- 
I itual enemies and our sins, and not to 
i put additional weapons into their 
: hands or to confer on them newpow- 
I er. Why should men ever dread the 
i influence of God on their heart s, as if 
| he would hinder their efforts for their 
own good? (3.) The fact that God 
works is an encouragement for us to 
work. When a man is about to set 
out a peach or an apple tree, it is an » 
encouragement for him to reflect that 
I the agency of God is around him, and 
j that he can cause the tree to produce 
j blossoms, and leaves, and fruit. When 
I he is about to plow and sow his farm, 
I it is an encouragement, not a hinder- 
! ance, to reflect that God works, and 
that he can quicken the grain that is 
j sown, and produce an abundant har- 
vest. What encouragement of a high- 
er order can man ask? And what 
farmer is afraid of the agency of God in 
the case, or supposes that the fact that 
God exerts an agency is a reason why 
I he should not plow and plant his field, 
or set out his orchard ? Poor encour- 
I agement would a man have in these 
i things if God did not exert any agency 
! in the world, and could not be expect- 
i ed to make the tree grow or to cause 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



169 



14 Do all things without mur- 
murings a and disputings ; b 

15 That ye maybe blameless and 
1 harmless, the sons c of God, with- 
out rebuke, in the midst of a 
crooked** and perverse nation, 

a 1 Cor. 10. 10. b Rom. 14. 1. 

1 or, sincere. c Matt. 5. 45. Eph. 5. 1. 



the grain to spring up; and equally 
poor would be all the encouragement 
in religion without his aid. 

14. Bo all things without murmuring s 
and disputings. In a quiet, peaceful, 
inoffensive manner. Let there be no 
brawls, strifes, or contentions. The 
object of the apostle here is, probably, 
to illustrate the sentiment which he 
had expressed in ver. 3-5, where he 
had inculcated the general duties of 
humbleness of mind, and of esteeming 
others better than themselves. In 
order that that spirit might be fully 
manifested, he now enjoins the duty 
of doing every thing in a quiet and 
gentle manner, and of avoiding any 
species of strife. See Notes on Eph. 
iv. 31, 32. 

15. That ye may be blameless. That 
you may give no occasion for others 
to accuse you of having done wrong. 
Tf And harmless. Marg., sincere. The 
Greek word aKtpaios means properly 
that which is unmixed; and then pure, 
sincere. The idea here is, that they 
should be artless, simple, without 
guile. Then they would injure no 
one. The word occurs only in Matt, 
x. 16 ; Phil. ii. 15, where it is rendered 
harmless; and Rom. xvi. 19, where it 
is rendered sincere. See Notes on 
Matt. x. 16, and Rom. xvi. 19. The 
sons of God. The children of God ; a 
phrase by which true Christians were 
denoted. See Notes on Matt. v. 45. 
Eph. v. 1. H Without rebuke. With- 
out blame; without giving occasion 
for any one to complain of you. \ In 
the midst of a crooked and perverse na- 

+tion. Among those of perverted sen- 
timents and habits; those who are 
disposed to complain and find fault; 
those who will take every occasion to 
misconstrue what you do and say, and 
who will seek every opportunity to 
retard the cause of truth and right- 
eousness. It is not certainly known 
to whom the apostle alludes here, but 
it seems not improbable that he had 
particular reference to the Jews who 
were in Philippi. The language here 



among whom 2 ye shine as lights e 
in the world ; 

16 Holding forth the word of 
life ; that I may rejoice in the day 
of Christ, that I have not run in 
vain/ neither laboured in vain. 

d Deut. 32. 5. 2 or, shine ye. 

e Matt. 5. 14, 16. / 1 Cor. 9. 26. 



used was employed by Moses (Deut. 
xxxii. 5), as applicable to the Jewish 
people, and it is accurately descriptive 
of the character of the nation in the 
time of Paul. The Jews were among 
the most bitter foes of the Gospel, and 
did perhaps more than any other peo- 
ple to embarrass the cause of truth 
and prevent the spread of the true re- 
ligion. H Among ivhom ye shine. Marg., 
"or, shine ye." The Greek will admit 
of either construction, and expositors 
have differed as to the correct inter- 
pretation. Rosenmuller, Doddridge, 
and others regard it as imperative, and 
as designed to enforce on them the 
duty of letting their light shine. Eras- 
mus says it is doubtful whether it is 
to be understood in the indicative or 
imperative. Grotius, Koppe, Bloom- 
field, and others regard it as in the in- 
dicative, and as teaching that they did 
in fact shine as lights in the world. 
The sense can be determined only by 
the connection; and in regard to it 
different readers will form different 
opinions. It seems to me that the 
connection seems rather to require 
the sense of duty or obligation to be 
understood. The apostle is enforcing < 
on them the duty of being blameless 
and harmless; of holding forth the 
word of life ; and it is in accordance 
with his design to remind them that 
they ought to be lights to those around 
them. ^ As lights in the world. The 
comparison of Christians with light 
often occurs in the Scriptures. See 
Notes on Matt. v. 14-16. The image 
here is not improbably taken from 
light-Jiouses on a sea-coast. The idea 
then is, that as those light-houses are 
placed on a dangerous coast to apprize 
vessels of their peril and to save them 
from shipwreck, so the light of Chris- 
tian piety shines on a dark world, and 
in the dangers of the voyage which 
we are making. See the Note of Bur- 
der, in Ros. Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, 
in loco. 

16. Holding forth the word of life. 
That is, you arc under obligation to 



170 



PHILIPPICS. 



[A.D. 64. 



hold forth the word of life. It is a 
duty incumbent on you as Christians 
to do it. The "word of life" means 
the Gospel, called the " word of life" 
because it is the message that prom- 
ises life ; or perhaps this is a Hebra- 
ism, denoting the living or life-giving 
word. The Gospel stands thus in con- 
trast with all human systems of relig- 
ion — for they have no efficacy to save, 
and to the law which " killeth." See 
Notes on John vi. 63, and 2 Cor. iii. 6. 
The duty here enjoined is that of mak- 
ing the Gospel known to others, and 
of thus keeping up the knowledge of 
it in the* world. This duty rests on 
Christians (comp. Matt. v. 14-16), and 
they can not escape from the obliga- 
tion. They are bound to do this, not 
only because God commands it, but 
(1.) because they are called into the 
Church that they may be witnesses for 
God. Isa. xliii. 10. (2.) Because they 
are kept on the earth for that pur- 
pose. If it were not for some such 
design, they would be removed to 
heaven at once on their conversion. 
(3.) Because there are no others to do 
it. The gay will not warn the gay, 
nor the proud the proud^nor the scoff- 
er the scoffer. The thoughtless and 
the vain will not go and tell others 
that there is a God and a Saviour, nor 
will the wicked warn the wicked, and 
tell them that they are in the way to 
hell. There are none who will do this 
but Christians ; and, if they neglect it, 
sinners will go unwarned and un- 
alarmed down to death. This duty 
rests on every Christian. The exhorta- 
tion here is not made to a pastor, or 
to any officer of the Church particu- 
larly, but to the mass of communicants. 
They are to shine as lights in the 
world ; they are to hold forth the word 
of life. There is not one member of 
a Church who is so obscure as to be 
exempt from the obligation, and 
there is not one who may not do 
something in this work. If we are 
asked how this may be done, we may 
reply, (1.) They are to do it by exam- 
ple. Every one is to hold forth the 
living word in that way. (2.) By ef- 
forts to send the Gospel to those who 
have it not. There is almost no one 
who can not contribute something, 
though it may be but two mites, to ac- 
complish this. (3.) By conversation. 
There is no Christian who has not 
some influence over the minds and 
hearts of others, and he is bound to 



use that influence in holding forth the 
word of life. (4.) By defending the di- 
vine origin of religion when attacked. 
Every true Christian has some reason 
why he believes the Christian religion 
to be true, and that reason he can 
state to others. Comp. 1 Pet. iii. 15. 
(5.) By rebuking sin, and thus testify- 
ing to the value of holiness. The de- 
fence of the truth, under God, and the 
diffusion of a knowledge of the way 
of salvation, rests on those who are 
Christians. Paganism never origi- 
nates a system which it would not be 
an advantage to the world to have 
destroyed as soon as it is conceived. 
Philosophy has never yet told of a way 
by which a sinner may be saved. The 
world at large devises no plan for the 
salvation of the soul. The most crude, 
ill-digested, and perverse systems of 
belief conceivable prevail in the com- 
munity called 11 the world." Every 
form of opinion has an advocate there ; 
every monstrous vagary that the hu- 
man mind ever conceived finds friends 
and defenders there. The human mind 
has of itself no elastic energy to bring 
it from the ways of sin ; it has no re- 
cuperative power to lead it back to 
God. The world at large is dependent on 
the Church for any just views of God and 
of the way of salvation, and every Chris- 
tian is to do his part in making that 
salvation known. If That I may re- 
joice. This was one reason which the 
apostle urged, and which it was prop- 
er to urge, why they should let their 
light shine. He had been the instru- 
ment of their conversion; he had 
founded their Church; he was their 
spiritual father ; and he had shown 
the deepest interest in their welfare, 
| and he now entreats them, as a means 
| of promoting his highest joy, to be 
| faithful and holy. The exemplary pi- 
! ety and holy lives of the members of 
j a Church will be one of the sources 
I of highest joy to a pastor in the day 
of judgment. Compare 3 John 4. 1 
Thess. ii. 19, 20. H In the day of Christ. • 
The day when Christ shall appear — 
the day of judgment. It is called the 
day of Christ because he will be the 
glorious object which will be promi- » 
nent on that day; it will be the day 
in which he will be honored as the 
judge of all the world. ^ That I have 
not run in vain. That is, that I have 
not lived in vain — life being compared 
with a race. See Notes on 1 Cor. ix. 
26. ^Neither labored in vain. In preach- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



171 



17 Yea, and if I be 1 offered a 
upon the sacrifice and service of 

1 poured forth. 



your faith, I joy, and rejoice with 
you all. 

a 2 Tim. 4. 6. 



ing the Gospel. Their holy lives would 
be the fullest proof that he was a faith- 
ful preacher. 

17. Tea, and if I be offered. Margin, 
poured forth. The mention of his la- 
bors in their behalf, in the previous 
verse, seems to have suggested to him 
the sufferings which he was likely yet 
to endure on their account. He had 
labored for their salvation. He had 
exposed himself to peril that they and 
others might have the Gospel. On 
their account he had suffered much ; 
he had been made a prisoner at Rome ; 
and there was a possibility, if not a 
probability, that his life might be a 
forfeit for his labors in their behalf. 
Yet he says that, even if this should 
happen, he would not regret it, but it 
would be a source of joy. The word 
which is here used — aTrivbo^ai— prop- 
erly means to pour out, to make a li- 
bation ; and is commonly used, in the 
classic writers, in connection with 
sacrifices. It refers to a drink-offer- 
ing, where one who was about to offer 
a sacrifice, or to present a drink-offer- 
ing to the gods, before he tasted of it 
himself, poured out a part of it on the 
altar. — Passow. It is used also to de- 
note the fact that when an animal was 
about to be slain in sacrifice, wine was 
poured on it as a solemn act of de- 
voting it to God. Comp. Numb. xv. 
5; xxviii. 7, 14. In like manner, Paul 
may have regarded himself as a victim 
prepared for the sacrifice. In the New 
Testament it is found only in this 
place, and in 2 Tim. iv. 6, where it is 
rendered, "lam ready to be offered." 
Comp. Notes on that place. It does 
not here mean that Paul really expect- 
ed to be a sacrifice, or to make an ex- 
piation for sin by his death, but that 
he might be called to pour out his 
blood, or to offer up his life as if ho 
were a sacrifice, or an offering to God. 
We have a similar use of language 
when we say that a man sacrifices him- 
self for his friends or his country. 
If Upon the sacrifice — k ttl tv\ Suaia. The 
word here rendered sacrifice means (1.) 
the act of sacrificing; (2.) the victim 
that is offered; and (3.) any oblation 
or offering. — liobinson, Lex. Here it 
must be used in the latter sense, and 
is connected with "faith" — u the sac- 
rifice of your faith." Th^^crence is 



probably to the faith, that is, the re- 
ligion of the Philippians, regarded as 
a sacrifice or an offering to God; the 
worship which they rendered to him. 
The idea of Paul is, that if, in order to 
render that offering what it should be 
— to make it as complete and accept- 
able to God as possible — it were nec- 
essary for him to die, pouring out his 
blood, and strength, and life, as wine 
was poured out to prepare a sacrifice 
for the altar and make it complete, he 
would not refuse to do it, but would 
rejoice in the opportunity. He seems 
to have regarded them as engaged in 
making an offering of faith, arid as en- 
deavoring to make the offering com- 
plete and acceptable ; and he says that 
if his death were necessary to make 
their piety of the highest and most 
acceptable kind, he was ready to die. 
^And service — XeLTovpyia — a word 
taken from an act of worship, or pub- 
lic service, and especially the ministry 
of those engaged in offering sacrifices. 
Luke i. 23. Heb. viii. 6. Here it means 
the ministering or service which the 
Philippians rendered to God ; the wor- 
shipMvhich they offered, the essential 
element of which was faith. Paul was 
willing to endure any thing, even to 
suffer death in their cause, if it would 
tend to make their "service" more 
pure, spiritual, and acceptable to God. 
The meaning of the whole is, (1.) that 
the sufferings and dangers which he 
now experienced were in their cause 
and on their behalf; and (2.) that he 
was willing to lay down his life if their 
piety would be promoted, and their 
worship rendered more pure and ac- 
ceptable to God. ^Ijoy. That is, I 
am not afraid of death; and if my dy- 
ing can be the means of promoting 
your piety, it will be a source of re- 
joicing. Comp. Notes on chap. i. 2o. 
If And rejoice with you all. My joy will 
be increased by any thing that pro- 
motes yours. The fruits of my death 
will reach and benefit you, and it will 
be a source of mutual congratulation. 

18. For the same cause. Because we 
are united, and what affects one of us 
should affect both. 1] Do ye joy and 
rejoice with me. That is, "Do not grieve 
at my death. Be not overwhelmed 
with sorrow, but let your hearts be 
filled with congratulation. It will be 



172 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



18 For the same cause also do ye 
joy, and rejoice with me. 

19 1 But I trust in the Lord Je- 
sus to send Timotheus a shortly 
unto you, that I also may be of 



a 1 Thess. 3. 2. 



good comfort, when I know your 
state. 

20 For I have no manlike-mind- 
ed, who will naturally care for 
your state. 

2 or, so dear unto me. 



a privilege and a pleasure thus to die. ' ' 
This is a noble sentiment, and one 
that could have been uttered only by 
a heroic and generous mind — by a man 
who did not dread death, and who felt 
that it was honorable thus to die. 
Doddridge has illustrated the senti- 
ment by an appropriate reference to a 
fact stated by Plutarch. A brave Athe- 
nian returned from the battle of Mara- 
thon, bleeding with wounds and ex- 
hausted, and rushed into the presence 
of the magistrates, and uttered only 
these two words — x a ' L P tq ~ & -> x aL P°l x ^ v — 
" rejoice, we rejoice," and immediately 
expired. So Paul felt that there was 
occasion for him, and for all whom he 
loved, to rejoice, if he was permitted 
to die in the cause of others, and in 
such a manner that his death would 
benefit the world. 

19. But I trust in the Lord Jesus. His 
hope was that the Lord Jesus would 
so order affairs as to permit this — an 
expression that no man could use*who 
did not regard the Lord Jesus as on 
the throne, and as more than human. 
H To send Timotheus shortly unto you. 
There was a special reason why Paul 
desired to send Timothy to them 
rather than another person, which he 
himself states, ver. 22: u 7e know the 
proof of him, that as a son with the 
father, he hath served with me in the 
Gospel." From this passage, as well 
as from chap. i. 1, where Timothy is 
joined with Paul in the salutation, it 
is evident that he had been with the 
apostle at Philippi. But this fact is 
nowhere mentioned in the sixteenth 
chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, 
which contains an account of the visit 
of Paul to that place. The narrative 
in the Acts, however, as Dr. Paley has 
remarked {Horce Paulince, in loc), is 
such as to render this altogether prob- 
able, and the manner in which the fact 
is adverted to here is such as would 
have occurred to no one forging an 
epistle like this, and shows that the 
Acts of the Apostles and the epistle 
are independent books, and are not 
the work of imposture. In the Acts 
of the Apostles it is said that when 



Paul came to Derbe and Lystra he 
found a certain disciple named Timo- 
thy, whom he would have go forth 
with him. Ch. xvi. 1-3. The narra- 
tive then proceeds with an account of 
the progress of Paul through various 
provinces of Asia Minor, till it brings 
him to Troas. There he was warned 
in a vision to go over into Macedonia. 
In pursuance of this call, he passed 
over the ^Egean Sea, came to Samo- 
thracia, and thence to Neapolis, and 
thence to Philippi. No mention is 
made, indeed, of Timothy as being 
with Paul at Philippi, but after he had 
left that city, and had gone to Berea, 
where the "brethren sent away Paul," 
it is added, "but Silas and Timotheus 
abode there still." From this it is ev- 
ident that he had accompanied them 
in their journey, and had no doubt 
been with them at Philippi. For the 
argument which Dr. Paley has derived 
from the manner in which this sub- 
ject is mentioned in the Acts, and in 
this epistle, in favor of the genuine- 
ness of the Scripture account, see 
Horce Paul, on the Epistle to the Phi- 
lippians, No. iv. ^When I know your 
state. It was a considerable time since 
Epaphroditus had left the Philippians, 
and since, therefore, Paul had been in- 
formed of their condition. 

20. For I have no man like-minded. 
Marg. , so dear unto me. The Greek is 
la 6\l/vxov, similar in mind, or like- 
minded. The meaning is, that there 
was no one with him who would feel 
so deep an interest in their welfare. 
TI Who will naturally care. The word 
rendered naturally, yvwaioos, means sin- 
cerely ; and the idea is, that he would 
regard their interests with a sincere 
tenderness and concern. He might be 
depended on to enter heartily into 
their concerns. This arose doubtless 
from the fact that he had been with 
them when the Church was founded 
there, and that he felt a deeper inter- 
est in what related to the Apostle 
Paul than any other man. Paul re- 
garded Timothy as a son, and his send- 
ing him on such an occasion would 
evince tl^^celings of a father who 



A.D. 64.J 



CHAPTER II. 



173 



21 For all seek their own, a not the 
things which are Jesus Christ's. 

22 But ye know the proof of him, 
that, as a son with the father, he 
hath served with me in the gospel. 

23 Him therefore I hope to send 

a 2 Tim. 3. 2. 



should send a beloved son on an im- 
portant message. 

21. For all seek their own. That is, 
all who are with me. Who Paul had 
with him at this time is not fully 
known, but he doubtless means that 
this remark should apply to the mass 
of Christians and Christian ministers 
then in Rome. Perhaps he had pro- 
posed to some of them to go and visit 
the Church at Philippi, and they had 
declined it because of the distance and 
the dangers of the way. When the 
trial of Paul came on before the em- 
peror, all who were with him in Rome 
lied from him (2 Tim. iv. 16), and it is 
possible that the same disregard of his 
wishes and his welfare had already be- 
gun to manifest itself among the Chris- 
tians who were at Rome, so that he 
was constrained to say that, as a gen- 
eral thing, they sought their own ease 
and comfort, and were unwilling to 
deny themselves in order to promote 
the happiness of those who lived in 
the remote parts of the world. Let 
us not be harsh* in judging them. 
How many professing Christians in 
our cities and towns are there now 
who would be willing to leave their 
business and their comfortable homes, 
and go on embassy like this to Philip- 
pi ? How many are there who would 
not seek some excuse, and show that 
it was a characteristic that they 
u sought their own" rather than the 
things which pertained to the king- 
dom of Jesus Christ ? ^Not the things 
which are Jesus Chrisfs. Which per- 
tain to his cause and kingdom. They 
are not willing to practice self-denial 
in order to promote that cause. It is 
implied here (1.) that it is the duty of 
those who profess religion to seek the 
things which pertain to the kingdom 
of the Redeemer, or to make that the 
great and leading object of their lives. 
They are bound to be willing to sac- 
rifice u their own" things— to deny 
themselves of ease, and to be always 
ready to expose themselves to peril 
and want if they may be the means of 
advancing his cause. (2.) That fre- 



presently, so soon as I shall see 
how it will go with me. 

24 But b I trust in the Lord that 
I also myself shall come shortly. 

25 Yet I supposed it necessary 
to send to you Epaphroditus, 0 my 

6 c 1.25. . cc.4. 16. 



quently this is not done by those who 
profess religion. It was the case with 
the professed Christians at Rome, and 
it is often the case in the churches 
now. There are few Christians who 
deny themselves much to promote the 
kingdom of the Redeemer ; few who 
are willing to lay aside what they re- 
gard &s u their own" in order to ad- 
vance his cause. Men live for their 
own ease; for their families; for the 
prosecution of their business— as if a 
Christian could have any thing which 
he has a right to pursue independent- 
ly of the kingdom of the Redeemer, 
and without regard to iris will and 
glory. 

22. But ye know the proof of him. 
You have had evidence among your- 
selves how faithfully Timothy devoted 
himself to the promotion of the Gos- 
pel, and how constantly he served 
'With me. This proves that he was 
with Paul when he was at Philippi. 
*fiAs a son with the father. Manifest- 
ing the same spirit towards me which 
a son does towards a father, and evin- 
cing the same interest in my work. 
He did all that he could do to aid me, 
and lighten my labors and sufferings. 

23. So soon as I shall see how it will go 
with me. Paul was a prisoner at Rome, 
and there was not a little uncertainty 
whether he would be condemned or 
acquitted. He was, it is commonly 
supposed, in fact released on the first 
trial. 2 Tim. iv. 16. He now felt tUat 
he would soon be able to send Timo- 
thy to them, at any rate. If he was 
condemned and put to death, he 
would, of course, have no further oc- 
casion for his services, and if he was 
released from his present troubles and 
dangers, he could spare him for a sea- 
son to go and visit the churches. 

24. But I trust in the Lord, etc. See 
Notes on ch. i. 25. 

25. Yet I supposed it necessary to send 
to you Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus 
is nowhere else mentioned but in this 
epistle. See chap. iv. 18. All that is 
known of him, therefore, is what is 
mentioned here. He was from Phi- 



174 



PHILIPPIAKS. 



[A.D. 64. 



brother, and companion in labour, 
and fellow-soldier, a but your mes- 
senger, and he that ministered to 
my wants. 
26 For he longed after you all, 

a Philem. 2. 



lippi, and was a member of the Church 
there. He had been employed by the 
Philippians to carry relief to Paul 
when he was in Rome (ch. iv. 18), and 
while in Rome he was taken danger- 
ously sick. News of this had been 
conveyed to Philippi, and again intel- 
ligence had been brought to him that 
they had heard of his sickness, and 
that they were much affected by it. 
On his recovery, Paul thought it best 
that he should return at once to Phi- 
lippi, and doubtless sent this epistle 
by him. He is much commended by 
Paul for his faithfulness and zeal. 
%My brother. In the Gospel ; a broth- 
er Christian. These expressions of 
affectionate regard must have been 
highly gratifying to the Philippians. 
^And companion in labor. It is not 
impossible that he may have labored 
with Paul in the Gospel at Philippi ; 
but more probably the sense is, that 
he regarded him as engaged in the 
same great work that he was. It is 
not probable that he assisted Paul 
much in Rome, as he appears to have 
been sick during a considerable part 
of the time he was there. If And fel- 
low-soldier. Christians and Christian 
ministers are compared with soldiers 
(Philem. 2; 2 Tim. ii. 8, 4) because of 
the nature of the service in which they 
are engaged. The Christian life is a 
warfare; there are many foes to be 
overcome ; the period which they are 
to serve is fixed by the Great Captain 
of.salvation, and they will soon be 
permitted to enjoy the triumphs of 
victory. Paul regarded himself as en- 
listed to make war on all the spiritu- 
al enemies of the Redeemer, and he 
esteemed Epaphroditus as one who 
had shown that he was worthy to be 
engaged in so good a cause. ^JBut 
your messenger. Sent to convey sup- 
plies to Paul. Ch. iv. 18. The orig- 
inal is, "your apostle" — vfiwu oe airoa- 
to\ov — and some have proposed to 
take this literally, meaning that he was 
the apostle of the Church at Philippi, 
or that he was their bisho]j. The ad- 
vocates for Episcopacyhave been the 
rather inclined to this, because in eh. 



and was full of heaviness, because 
that ye had heard that he had 
been sick. 

27 For indeed he was sick nigh 
unto death; but God had mercy 



i. 1, there are but two orders of min- 
isters mentioned— " bishops and dea- 
cons"— from which they have sup- 
posed thaf'^e bishop" might have 
been absent, and that u the bishop" 
was probably this Epaphroditus. But 
against this supposition the objections 
are obvious. (1.) The word (broWo- 
Xos means properly one sent forth, a 
messenger, and it is uniformly used 
in this sense unless there is something 
in the connection to limit it to an 
apostle, technically so called. (2.) The 
supposition that it here means a mes- 
senger meets all the circumstances of 
the case, and describes exactly what 
Epaphroditus did. He was, In fact, 
sent as a messenger to Paul. Ch. iv. 
18. (3.) He was not an apostle in the 
proper sense of the term — the apos- 
tles having been chosen to be witness- 
es of the life, the teachings, the death, 
and the resurrection of the Saviour. 
See Acts i. 22. Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. 
ix. 1. (4.) If he had been an apostle, it 
is altogether improbable that he would 
have been sent on an errand compara- 
tively so humble as that of carrying 
supplies to Paul. "Was there no one 
else who could do this without send- 
ing their bishop? Would a diocese be 
likely to employ a lt bishop" for such 
a purpose now ? If And he that minis- 
tered to my wants. Ch. iv. 18. 

26. Far he longed after you all. He 
was desirous to see you all, and to re- 
lieve your anxiety in regard to his 
safety. 

27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto 
death. Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. 
Paid, on Phil., Iso. ii.) that the account 
of the sickness and recovery of Epaph- 
roditus is such as to lead us to sup- 
pose that he was not restored by mir- 
acle ; and he infers that the power of 
healing the sick was conferred qp. the 
apostles only occasionally, and did not 
depend at all on their will, since if it 
had, there is every reason to suppose 
that Paul would at once have restored 
him to health. This account, he adds, 
shows also that this epistle is not the 
work of an impostor. Had it been, a 
miracle would not have been spared. 



A.D, 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



175 



on liim ; and not on him only, but 
on me also, lest I should have sor- 
row upon sorrow. 

28 I sent him, therefore, the more 
carefully, that, when ye see him 
again, ye may rejoice, and that I 
may be the less sorrowful. 

1 or, honour such. 1 Cor. 16. 18. 
> 

Paul would not have been introduced 
as showing such anxiety about a friend 
lying at the point of death, and as 
being unable to restore him. It would 
have been said that he interposed at 
once, and raised him up to health. 
%But God had mercy on him. By re- 
storing him to health, evidently not 
by miracle, but by the use of ordinary 
means. On me also, lest I should have 
sorrow upon sorrow. In addition to all 
the sorrows of imprisonment, the 
prospect of a trial, and the want of 
friends. The sources of his sorrow, 
had Epaphroditus died, would have 
been such as these: (1.) He would have 
lost a valued friend, and one whom he 
esteemed as a brother and worthy fel- 
low-laborer. (2.) He would have felt 
that the Church at Philippi had lost a 
valuable member. (3.) His grief might 
have been aggravated from the con- 
sideration that his life had been lost 
in endeavoring to do him good. He 
would have felt that he was the occa- 
sion, though innocent, of his exposure 
to danger. 

28. 1 sent him, therefore, the more care- 
fully. With more diligence, or speed ; 
I was the more ready to send him. 
If That I may be the less sorrowful. I 
have been the more anxious to send 
him. That is, on^account of my solic- 
itude for you ; that I may know that 
your minds are at ease, and that you 
rejoice in his being among you. 

29. Receive him, therefore, in the Lord. 
As the servant of the'Lord, or as now 
restored to you by the Lord, and there- 
fore to be regarded as a fresh gift from 
God. Our friends restored to us after 
a long absence, we should receive as 
the gift of God, and as a proof of his 
mercy. 1 And hold such in reputation. 
Marg. , honor such. This is a high com- 
mendation of Epaphroditus, "and, at 
the same time, it enjoins an important 
duty in regard to the proper treatment 
of those who sustain such a character. 
It is a Christian duty to honor those 
who ought to be honored ; to respect 
the virtuous and the pious, and espe- 



29 Receive him, therefore, in the 
Lord with all gladness; and 1 hold " 
such in reputation : 

30 Because for the work of Christ 
he was nigh unto death, not re- 
garding his life a to supply your 
lack of service toward me. 

a 1 Cor. 16. 17. 



dally to honor those who evince fidel- 
ity in the work of the Lord. 

30. Because for the work of Christ. 
That is, either by exposing himself in 
his journey to see the apostle in Rome, 
or by his labors there. ^Not regarding 
his life. There is a difference in the 
MSS. here so great that it is impossi- 
ble now to determine which is the 
true reading, though the sense is not 
materially affected. The common 
reading of the Greek text is Trapafiov- 
\Ev<ja/uL£vo<s ; literally, misconsulting, not 
consulting carefully, not taking pains. 
The other reading is irapaftoXtvaafxs- 
vo<s, exposing one's self to danger, re- 
gardless of life. See the authorities 
for this reading in Wetstein. Com p. 
Bloomfield, inloc. This reading suits 
the connection, and is generally re- 
garded as the correct one. H To stqj- 
ply your lack of service toiuard me. Not 
that they had been indifferent to him, 
or inattentive to his wants, for he does 
not mean to blame them; but they 
had not had an opportunity to send 
to his relief (see ch. iv. 10), and Epaph- 
roditus therefore made a special jour- 
ney to Rome on his account. He came 
and rendered him the service which 
they could not do in person; and what 
the Church would have done if Paul 
had been among them, he performed 
in their name and on their behalf. 

REMARKS. 

1. Let us learn to esteem others as 
they ought to be. Ver. 3. Every per- 
son who is virtuous and pious has some 
claim to esteem. He has a reputation 
which is valuable to him and to the 
Church, and we should not withhold 
respect from him. It is one evidence, 
also, of true humility and of right feel- 
ing when we esteem them as better 
than ourselves, and when we are wil- 
ling to see them honored, and arc wil- 
ling to sacrifice our own case to pro- 
mote their welfare. It is one of the 
instinctive promptings of true humil- 
ity to feel that other persons are bet- 
ter than we are. 



176 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



2. We should not be disappointed or 
mortified if others think little of us — 
if we are not brought into prominent 
notice among men. Ver. 3. We pro- 
fess to have a low opinion of ourselves 
if we are Christians, and we ought to 
have ; and why should we be chagrined 
and mortified if others have the same 
opinion of us? Why should we not 
be willing that they should accord in 
judgment with us in regard to our- 
selves ? 

3. We should be willing to occupy 
our appropriate place in the Church. 
Ver. 3. That is true humility; and 
why should any one be unwilling to 
be esteemed just as he ought to be? 
Pride makes us miserable, and is the 
grand thing that stands in the way of 
the influence of the Gospel on our 
hearts. No one can become a Chris- 
tian who is not willing to occupy just 
the place which he ought to occupy ; 
to take the lowly position as a peni- 
tent which he ought to take ; and to 
have God regard and treat him just as 
he ought to be treated. The first, sec- 
ond, and third thing in religion is hu- 
mility, and no one ever becomes a 
Christian who is not willing to take 
the lowly condition of a child. 

4. We should feel a deep interest in 
the welfare of others. Ver. 4. Men 
are by nature selfish, and it is the de- 
sign of religion to make them benev- 
olent. They seek their own interests 
by nature, and the Gospel would teach 
them to regard the welfare of others. 
If we are truly under the influence of 
religion, there is not a member of the 
Church in whom we should not feel 
an interest, and whose welfare we 
should not strive to promote as far as 
we have opportunity. And we may 
have such an opportunity every day. 
It is an easy matter to do good to oth- 
ers. A kind word, or even a kind look, 
does good ; and who so poor that he 
can not render this ? Every day that 
we live we come in contact with some 
who may be benefited by our exam- 
ple, our advice, or our alms ; and ev- 
ery day, therefore, may be closed with 
the feeling that w r e have not lived in 
vain. 

5. Let us in all things look to the 
example of Christ. Ver. 5. He came 
that he might be an example ; and he 
was exactly such an example as we 
need. We may be always sure that 
we are right when we follow his ex- 
ample and possess his spirit. We can 



not be so sure that we are right in any 
other way. He came to be our model 
in all things, and in all the relations 
of life. (1.) He showed us what the 
law of God requires of us. (2.) He 
show T ed us what we should aim to be, 
and what human nature would be if 
it were wholly under the influence of 
religion. (3.) He showed us w r hat true 
religion is, for it is just such as was 
seen in his life. (4.) He showed us 
how to act in our treatment of man- 
kind. (5.) He showed us how to bear 
the ills of poverty, and w T ant, and pain, 
and temptation, and reproach from 
j the world. We should learn to man- 
j ifest the same spirit in suffering which 
j he did, for then we are sure we are 
I right. (6. ) And he has showed us how 
to die. He has exhibited in death 
just the spirit which we should when 
we die ; for it is not less desirable to 
die well than to live well. 

6. It is right and proper to worship 
Christ. Ver. 6. He was in the form 
of God, and equal with God; and, be- 
ing such, w T e should adore him. No 
one need be afraid to render too high 
honor to the Saviour; and all piety 
may be measured by the respect which 
is shown to him. Religion advances 
in the world just in proportion as men 
are disposed to render honor to the 
Redeemer; it becomes dim and dies 
away just in proportion as that honor 
is withheld. 

7. Like the Redeemer, we should be 
willing to deny ourselves in order that 
we may promote the welfare of oth- 
ers. Ver. 6-8. We can never, indeed, 
equal his condescension. We can nev- 
er stoop from such a state of dignity 
and honor as he did;*but,in our meas- 
ure, we should aim to imitate him. 
If we have comforts, we should be 
willing to deny ourselves of them to 
promote the happiness of others. If 
we occupy an elevated rank in life, 
we should be willing to stoop to one 
more humble. If we live in a palace, 
we should be willing to enter the 
most lowly cottage if we can render 
its inmates happy. 

8. Christ was obedient unto death. 
Ver. 8. Let us be obedient also, do- 
ing the will of God in all things. If 
in his service we are called to pass 
through trials, even those which will 
terminate in death, let us obey. He 
has a right to command us, and we 
have the example of the Saviour to 
sustain us. If he v requires us, by his 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



177 



providence, and by the leadings of his 
Spirit, to forsake our country and 
home ; to cross oceans, or to traverse 
wastes of burning sand, to make his 
name known; if he demands that, in 
that service, we shall die far away from 
kindred and home, and that our bones 
shall be laid on the banks of the Sen- 
egal or the Ganges, still let us remem- 
ber that these sufferings are not equal 
to those of the Master. He was an 
exile from heaven, in a world of suf- 
fering. Our exile from our own land 
is not like that from heaven ; nor will 
our sufferings, though in regions of 
pestilence and death, be like his suf- 
ferings in the garden and on the cross. 

9. Let us rejoice that we have a Sav- 
iour who has ascended to heaven, and 
who is to be forever honored there. 
Ver. 9-11. He is to suffer no more. 
He has endured the last pang ; he has 
passed through a state of humiliation 
and woe which he will never repeat ; 
and he has submitted to insults and 
mockeries to which it will not be nec- 
essary for him to submit again. When 
we now think of the Kedeemer, we 
can think of him as always happy and 
honored. There is no moment by day 
or by night in which he is not the ob- 
ject of adoration, love, and praise — 
nor will there ever be such a moment 
to all eternity. Our best friend is 
thus to be eternally reverenced, and 
in heaven he will receive a full reward 
for all his unparalleled woes. 

10. Let us diligently endeavor to 
work out our salvation. Vs. 12, 13. 
Nothing else so much demands our 
unceasing solicitude as this, and in 
nothing else have we so much encour- 
agement. We are assured that God 
aids us in this work. He throws no 
obstructions in our path, but all that 
God does in the matter of salvation is 
in the way of help. He does not work 
in us evil passions, or impure desires, 
or unbelief; his agency is to enable 
us to perform "his good pleasure," or 
that which will please him — that is, 
that which is holy. The farmer is en- 
couraged to plow and plant his fields 
when God works around him by send- 
ing the warm breezes of the spring, 
and by refreshing the earth with gen- 
tle dews and rains. And so we may 
be encouraged to seek our salvation 
when God works in our hearts, pro- 
ducing serious thoughts, and a feeling 
that we need the blessings of salva- 
tion. 

II 2 



11. Christians should let their light 
shine. Verses 14-16. God has called 
them into his kingdom that they may 
show what is the nature, the value, 
and the power of true religion. They 
are to illustrate in their lives the na- 
ture of that Gospel which he has re- 
vealed; to show its value in purifying 
the soul, and to evince its pow 7 er in 
sustaining it in the time of trial. The 
world is dependent on Christians for 
just views of religion, and every day 
that a Christian lives he is doing some- 
thing to honor or dishonor the Gospel. 
Every word that he speaks, every ex- 
pression of the eye, every cloud or 
beam of sunshine on his brow, will 
have some effect in doing this. He 
can not live without making some im- 
pression upon the world around him, 
either favorable or unfavorable to the 
cause of his Redeemer. 

12. We should be ready to die, if call- 
ed to such a sacrifice, in behalf of the 
Church of Christ. Ver. 17. We should 
rejoice in being permitted to suffer that 
we may promote the welfare of oth- 
ers, and be the means of saving those 
for whom Christ died. It has been an 
honor to be a martyr in the cause of 
religion, and so it ever will be when 
God calls to such a sacrifice of life. 
If he calls us to it, therefore, we should 
not dread it, nor should we shrink 
from any sufferings by wiiich we may 
honor the Saviour, and rescue souls 
from death. 

13. Let us learn, from the interest- 
ing narrative respecting Epaphroditus 
at the close of this chapter, to live and 
act as becomes Christians in eveiw sit- 
uation in life. Ver. 25-30. It was much 
to have the praise of an apostle, and 
to be commended for his Christian 
conduct, as this stranger in Rome was. 
He went there, not to view the won- 
ders of the imperial city, and not to 
run the rounds of giddy pleasure, but 
to perform an important duty of re- 
ligion. While there he became sick — 
not by indulgence in pleasures; not 
as the result of feasting and revelry, 
but in the work of Christ. In a strange 
city^r from home, amid the rich, the 
great, the gay— in a place where thea- 
tres opened their doors, and where 
places of amusement abounded, he Led 
a life which an apostle could commend 
as pure. There is nothing more diffi- 
cult for a Christian than to maintain 
an irreproachable walk when away 
from the usual restraints and influ- 



178 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



ences that serve to keep him in the | 
paths of piety, and when surrounded 
with the fascinations and allurements I 
of a great and wicked city. There | 
strangers, extending the rites of hos- i 
pitality, often invite the guest to 
♦ places of amusement which the Chris- 
tian would not visit were he at home. 
There the desire to see all that is to 
be seen, and to hear all that is to be 
heard, attracts him to the theatre, the 
opera,«and the gallery of obscene and 
licentious statuary and painting. 
There the plea readily presents itself 
that an opportunity of witnessing 
these things may never occur again ; 
that he is unknown, and that his ex- 
ample, therefore, can do no harm ; that 
it is desirable, from personal observa- 
tion, to know what is the condition of 
the world ; or that perhaps his former 
views in these matters may have been 
precise and puritanical. To such con- 
siderations he yields, but yields only 
to regret it in future life. Rarely is' 
such a thing done without its being in 
some way soon known; and rarely, 
very rarely, does a Christian minister 
or other member of the Church travel 
much without injury to his piety, and 
to the cause of religion. A Christian 
man who is under a necessity of visit- 
ing Europe from this country should 
feel that he has special need of the 
prayers of his friends, that he may not 
dishonor his religion abroad ; he who 
is permitted to remain at home, and 
to cultivate the graces of piety in his 
own family, and in the quiet scenes 
where he has been accustomed to 
move, should regard it as a cause of 
special thankfulness to God. 

CHAPTER III. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter consists, in the main, 
of exhortations to holy living, and to 
an effort to make great attainments in 
the divine life. It is full of tenderness 
and affection, and is one of the most 
beautiful appeals which can any where 
be found to induce Christians to de- 
vote themselves to the service of the 
Redeemer. The appeal is drawn in 
a great measure from the apostle's 
statement of his own feelings, and is 
one which the Philippians could not 
but feel, for they knew him well. In 
the course of the chapter he adverts 
to the following points : 

He exhorts them to rejoice in the 
Lord. Ver. 1. 



He warns them against the Jewish 
teachers who urged the necessity of 
complying with the Mosaic laws, and 
who appear to have boasted of their 
being Jews, and to have regarded 
themselves as the favorites ol God on 
that account. Vs. 2, 3. 

To meet what they had said, and to 
show how little all that on which they 
relied was to be valued, Paul says that 
he had had advantages of birth and ed- 
ucation which surpassed them all, and 
that all the claim to the favor of God, 
and all the hope of salvation which 
could be derived from birth, educa- 
tion, and a life of zeal and conformity 
to the law, had been his. Ver. 4-6. 

Yet he says he had renounced all 
this, and now regarded it as utterly 
worthless in the matter of salvation. 
He had cheerfully suffered the loss of 
all things, and was willing still to do 
it, if he might obtain salvation through 
the Redeemer. Christ was more to 
him than all the advantages of birth, 
and rank, and blood; and all other 
grounds of dependence for salvation, 
compared with reliance on him, were 
worthless. Ver. 7-11. 

The object which he had sought in 
doing this, he says, he had not" yet 
fully attained. He had seen enough 
to know its inestimable value, and he 
now pressed onward that he might 
secure all that he desired. The re- 
ward was before him, and he pressed 
on to secure the prize. Ver. 12-14. 

He exhorts them to aim at the same 
thing, and to endeavor to secure the 
same object, assuring them that God 
was ready to disclose to them all that 
they desired to know, and to grant all 
that they wished to obtain. Vs. 15, 16. 

The whole exhortation he enforces 
in the end of the chapter (ver. 17-21) 
by two considerations. One was, that 
there were not a few who had been de- 
ceived and who had no true religion 
— whom he had often warned with 
tears (vs. 18, 19) ; the other was, that 
the home, the citizenship of the true 
Christian, was in heaven, and they who 
were Christians ought to live as be- 
came those who expected soon to be 
there. The Saviour would soon re- 
turn to take them to glory. He would 
change their vile body, and make them 
like himself, and they should there- 
fore live as those should live who had 
a hope so blessed and transforming. 

1. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



179 



CHAPTER III. 

FINALLY, my brethren, rejoice 
"in the Lord. To write the 
sarne b things to you, to me indeed 

a 1 Thess.5.16. b 2 Pet. 1. 12-15. 



Lord, That is, in the Lord Jesus. See 
ver. 3. Comp. Notes on Aets i. 24, and 
1 Thess. v. 16. The idea here is, that 
it is the duty of Christians to rejoice 
in the Lord Jesus Christ. This duty 
implies the following things. (1.) 
They should rejoice that they have a 
Saviour. Men every where have felt 
the need of a Saviour, and to us it 
should bj3 a subject of unfeigned joy 
that one has been provided for us. 
When we think of our sins, we may 
now rejoice that there is one who can 
deliver us from them ; when we think 
of the worth of the soul, we may re- 
joice that there is one who can save 
it from death; when we think of our 
danger, we can rejoice that there is 
one who can rescue us from all peril, 
and bring us to a world where we shall 
be forever safe. (2.) They should re- 
joice that they have such a Saviour. 
He is just such as we need. He ac- 
complishes just what we want a Sav- 
iour to do: We need one to make 
known to us a way of pardon, and he 
does it. We need one to make an 
atonement for sin, and he does it. We 
need one to give us peace from a 
troubled conscience, and he does it. 
We need one to support us in trials 
and bereavements, and he does it. We 
need one who can comfort us on the 
bed of death, and guide us through 
the dark valley, and the Lord Jesus is 
just what we want. When we look 
at his character, it is just such as it 
should be to win our hearts and to 
make us love him; when we look at 
what he has done, we see that he has 
accomplished all that we can desire, 
and why should we not rejoice? (3.) 
They may and should rejoice in him. 
The principal happiness of the true 
Christian should be in the Lord. He 
should find his enjoyment not in rich- 
es, or gayety, or vanity, or ambition, 
or books, or in the world in any form, 
but in communion with the Lord Je- 
sus, and in the hope of eternal life 
through him. In his friendship and 
in his service should be the Mttiest 
of our joys, and in these we may al- 
ways be happy. It is the privilege, 
therefore, of a Christian to rejoice. 



is not grievous, but for you it is 
safe. 

2 Beware of dogs, c beware of d evil 
workers, beware of the e concision. 

c Isa. 56. 10,11. Rev. 22. 15. d Psa. 119. 115. 

e Gal. 5. 1-3. 

He has more sources of joy than any 
other man— sources which do not fail 
when all others fail. Religion is not 
sadness or melancholy—it is joy; and 
the Christian should never leave the 
impression on others t*at his religion 
makes him either gloomy or morose. 
A cheerful countenance, an eye of be- 
nignity, a conversation pleasant and 
kind, should always evince the joy of 
his heart, and in all his intercourse 
with the world around him he should 
show that his heart is full of joy. To 
write the same things. That is, to re- 
peat the same truths and admonitions. 
Perhaps he refers in this to the ex- 
hortations which he had given them 
when he was with them on the same 
topics on which he is now writing to 
them. He says that for him to record 
these exhortations, and transmit them 
by a letter, might be the means of per- 
manent welfare to them, and would 
not be burdensome or oppressive to 
him. It was not absolutely necessary 
for them, but still it would be con- 
ducive to their order and comfort as 
a Church. We may suppose that this 
chapter is a summary of w 7 hat he had 
often inculcated when he was with 
them. If To me indeed is not grievous. 
It is not burdensome or oppressive to 
me to repeat these exhortations in this 
manner. They might suppose that in 
the multitude of cares which he had, 
and in his trials in Rome, it might be 
too great a burden for him to bestow 
so much attention on their interests. 
IT But for you it is safe. It will con- 
tribute to your security as Christians 
to have these sentiments and admoni- 
tions on record. They were exposed 
to dangers which made them proper. 
What those dangers were the apostle 
specifies in the following verses. 

2. Beware of dogs. Dogs in the East 
are mostly without masters; they 
wander at large in the streets and 
fields, and feed upon offal, and even 
upon corpses. Comp. 1 Kings xiv. 11 ; 
xvi. 4 ; xxi. 19. They are held as un- 
clean, and to call one a dog is a much 
stronger expression of contempt there 
than with us. 1 Sam.xviti43. 2 Kings 
viii. 13. The Jews called the heathen 



180 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



3 For we a are the circumcision, 
which worship God in the spirit, 



a Rom. 2. 28, 29. 



and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and 
have no confidence in the flesh : 



dogs, and the Mohammedans callJews 
and Christians by the same name. The 
term dog also is used to denote a per- 
son that is shameless, impudent, ma- j 
lignant, snarling, dissatisfied, and con- 
tentious, and is evidently so employed ! 
here. It is possible that the language 
used here may have been derived from 
some custom^f affixing a caution on 
a house that was guarded by a dog to j 
persons approaching it. L'Enfant re- j 
marks that at Rome it was common 
for a dog to lie chained before the 
door of a house, and that a notice was 
placed in sight/' Beware of the dog." 
The same notice I have seen in this 
city affixed to the kennel of dogs in 
front of a bank, that were appointed 
to guard it. The reference here is, 
doubtless, to Judaizing teachers, and 
the idea is, that they were conten- 
tious, troublesome, dissatisfied, and 
would produce disturbance. The 
strong language which the apostle 
uses shows the sense which he had of 
the danger arising from their influ- 
ence. It may be observed, however, 
that the term dogs is used in ancient 
writings with great frequency, and 
even by the most grave speakers. It 
is employed by the most dignified 
characters in the Iliad (Bloom field), 
and the name was given to a whole 
class of Greek philosophers — the Cyn- 
ics. It is used in one instance by the 
Saviour (Matt. vii. 6). By the use of 
the term here, there can be no doubt 
that the apostle meant to express 
strong disapprobation of the charac- 
ter and course of the persons referred 
to, and to warn the Philippians in the 
most solemn manner against them. 
^Beware of evil workers^ Referring, 
doubtless, to the same persons that 
he had characterized as dogs. The ref- 
erence is to Jewish teachers, whose 
doctrines and influence he regarded 
only as evil. We do not know what 
was the nature of their teaching, but 
we may presume that it consisted 
much in pressing on them the obliga- 
tions of the Jewish rites and ceremo- 
nies ; in speaking of the advantage of 
having been born Jews ; and in urg- 
ing a compliance with the law in or- 
der to justification before God. In 
this way their teachings tended to set 
aside the great doctrine of salvation 



by the merits of the Redeemer. 1" Be- 
ware of the concision. Referring, doubt- 
less, also to the Jewish teachers. The 
word rendered concision — KaraTo/iv — 
means properly a cutting off, a mutila- 
tion. It is used here contemptuously 
for the Jewish circumcision in con- 
trast with the^rue circumcision. — 
Robinson, Lex. it is not to be under- 
stood that Paul meant to throw con- 
tempt on circumcision as enjoined by 
God, and as practiced by the pious 
Jews of other times (comp." Acts xvi. 
3), but only as it was held by the Ju- 
daizing teachers. As they held it, it 
was not the true circumcision. They 
made salvation to depend on it, in- 
stead of its being only a sign of the 
covenant with God. Such a "doctrine, 
as they held it, was a mere cutting off 
of the flesh, without understanding any 
thing of the true nature of the rite, 
and hence the unusual term by which 
he designates it. Perhaps, also, there 
may be included the idea that a doc- 
trine so held would be, in fact, a cut- 
ting off of the soul; that is, that it 
tended to destruction. Their cutting 
and mangling the flesh might be re- 
garded as an emblem of the manner 
in which their doctrine would cut and 
mangle the Church.— Doddridge. The 
meaning of the whole is, that they did 
not understand the true nature of 
the doctrine of circumcision, but that 
with them it was a mere cutting of 
the flesh, and tended to destroy the 
Church. 

3. For we are the circumcision. We 
who are Christians. We hold the 
true doctrine of circumcision. We 
have that which was intended to be 
secured by this rite— for we are led to 
renounce the flesh, and to worship 
God in the spirit. The apostle in this 
verse teaches that the ordinance of 
circumcision was not designed to be 
a mere outward ceremony, but was in- 
tended to be emblematic of the re- 
nunciation of the flesh with its cor- 
rupt propensities, and to lead to the 
pure and spiritual worship of God. 
In this, he has undoubtedly stated its 
true design. They who now urged it 
as nflpes^ary to sal vation, and who 
made salvation depend on its mere 
outward observance, had lost sight of 
this object of the rite. But this, the 



A.D, 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



181 



4 Though I might also have con- 
fidence in the flesh. If any other 
man thinketh that he hath where- 
of he might trust in the flesh, I 
more : 



real design of circumcision, was at- 
tained by those who had been led to 
renounce the flesh, and who had de- 
voted themselves to the worship of 
God. See Notes on Romans ii. 28, 29. 
1 Which wo? , ship God in the spirit. See 
Notes on John iv. 24. Compare Gen. 
xvii. 10-14. %And rejoice in Christ Je- 
sus. See verse 1. That is, we have, 
through him, renounced the flesh ; we 
have become the true worshippers of 
God, and we have thus attained what 
was originally contemplated by cir- 
cumcision, and by all the other rites 
of religion. U And have no co7tfidence 
in the '.flesh. In our own corrupt na- 
ture, or in any ordinances that relate 
merely to the flesh. We do not de- 
pend on circumcision for salvation, or 
on any external rites and forms what- 
ever — on any advantage of rank or 
blood. The word "flesh" here seems 
to refer to every advantage which any 
may have of birth; to any external 
conformity to the law, and to every 
thing which unaided human nature 
can do to effect salvation. On none 
of these things can we put reliance 
for salvation ; none of them will con- 
stitute a ground of hope. 

4. Though I might also have confidence 
in the flesh. That is, though I had un- 
common advantages of this kind; and 
if any one could have trusted in them, 
I could have done it The object of 
the apostle is to show that he did not 
despise those things because he did 
not possess them, but because he now 
saw that they were of no value in the 
great matter of salvation. Once he 
had confided in them, and if any one 
could find any ground of reliance on 
them, he could have found more than 
any of them. But he had seen that 
all these things were valueless in re- 
gard to the salvation of the soul. We 
may remark here that Christians do 
not despise or disregard advantages 
of birth, or amiableness of manners, 
or external morality because they do 
not possess them, but because they 
regard them as insufficient to secure 
their salvation. They who have been 
most amiable and moral before their 



5 Circumcised the eighth day, of 
the stock of Israel, of the tribe of 
Benjamin, a Hebrew of the He- 
brews; as touching the law, a 
Pharisee ; a 

a Acts 23. 6. 



conversion will speak in the most de- 
cided manner of the insufficiency of 
these things for salvation, and of the 
danger of relying on them. They have 
once tried it, and they now see that 
their feet were standing on a slippery 
rock. The Greek here is, literally, 
"although I [was] having confidence 
in the flesh." The meaning is, that 
he had every ground of confidence in 
the flesh which any one could have, 
and that if there was any advantage 
for salvation to be derived from birth, 
and blood, and external conformity to 
the law, he possessed it. He had more 
to rely on than most other men had ; 
nay, he could have boasted of advan- 
tages of this sort which could not be 
found united in any other individual. 
What those advantages were he pro- 
ceeds to specify. 

5. Circumcised the eighth day. That 
is, he was circumcised in exact com- 
pliance with the law. If there was 
any ground of confidence from such 
compliance with the law, he had it. 
The law required that circumcision 
should be performed on the eighth 
day (Gen. xvii. 12; Lev. xii. 3; Luke 
i. 59); but it is probable that, in some 
cases, this was delayed on account of 
sickness, or from some other cause ; 
and, in the case of proselytes, it was 
not performed until adult age. See 
Acts xvi. 3. But Paul says that, in 
his case, the law had been literally 
complied with, and, consequently, all 
the advantage which could be derived 
from such a compliance was his. H Of 
the stock of Israel. Descended from 
the patriarch Israel, or Jacob, and 
therefore able to trace his genealogy 
back as far as any J ew could. He was 
not a proselyte himself from among 
the heathen, nor were any of his an- 
cestors proselytes. He had all the ad- 
vantages which could be derived from 
a regular descent from the venerable 
founders of the Jewish nation. He 
was thus distinguished from the 
Edomites and others who practiced 
circumcision; from the Samaritans, 
who were made up of a mixture of 
people; and from many, even among 



182 PHILIPPIANS. [A.D. 64. 

6 Concerning zeal, a persecuting l.eousness which is in the law, 
the church ; touching the right- blameless. 6 

a Acts 22. 3,4. Ga^. 1. 13, 14. b Luke 1. 6. 



the Jews, whose ancestors had been 
once heathen, and who had become 
proselytes. "[[ Of the tribe of Benjamin. 
Benjamin was one of the two tribes 
which remained wmen the ten tribes 
revolted under Jeroboam, and, with 
the tribe of Judah, it ever afterward 
maintained its allegiance to God. The 
idea of Paul is, that he was not one of 
- the revolted tribes, but that he had as 
high a claim to the honor of being a 
Jew as any one could boast. The 
tribe of Benjamin, also, was located 
near the Temple, and, indeed, it has 
been said that the Temple was on the 
dividing line between that tribe and 
the tribe of Judah ; and it might have 
been supposed that there was some 
advantage in securing salvation from 
having been born and reared so near 
where the holy rites of religion were 
celebrated. If there was any such ad- 
vantage to be derived from the prox- 
imity of the tribe to the Temple, he 
could claim it; for, though his birth 
was in another place, yet he was a 
member of the tribe. H A Hebrew of 
the Hebrews. This is the Hebrew mode 
of expressing the superlative degree ; 
and the idea is, that Paul enjoyed ev- 
ery advantage which could possibly 
be derived from the fact of being a 
Hebrew. He had a lineal descent from 
the very patriarchs of the nation ; he 
belonged to a tribe that was as hon- 
orable as any other, and that had its 
location near the very centre of relig- 
ious influence; and he was a Hebrew 
by both his parents, with no admix- 
ture of Gentile blood. On this fact — 
that no one of his ancestors had been 
a proselyte or of Gentile extraction — 
a Jew would pride himself much ; and 
Paul says that he was entitled to all 
the advantage which could be derived 
from it. "fl As touching the laic, a Phar- 
isee. In my views of the law, and in 
my manner of observing it, I was of 
the straitest sect — a Pharisee. See 
Notes on Acts xxvi. 5. The Pharisees 
were distinguished among the Jewish 
sects for their rigid adherence to the 
letter of the law, and had endeavored 
to guard it from the possibility of vio- 
lation by throwing around it a vast 
body of traditions, which they consid- 
ered to be equally binding with the 
written law. See Notes on Matt. iii. 



7. The Sadducees were much less 
strict ; and Paul here says that what- 
ever advantage could be derived from 
the most rigid adherence to the letter 
of the law w T as his. 

6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the 
Church. Showing the greatness of my 
zeal for the religion which I believed 
to be true, by persecuting those whom 
I considered to be in dangerous error. 
Zeal. was supposed to be, as it is in 
fact, an important part of religion. 
See 2 Kings x. 16. Psa. lxix. 9 ; cxix. 
139. Isa.lix.17. Rom. x. 2. Paul says 
that he had shown the highest degree 
of zeal that was possible. He had 
gone so far in his attachment to the 
religion of his fathers as to pursue, 
with purposes of death, those w r ho had 
departed from it, and who had em- 
braced a different form of belief. If 
any, therefore, could hope for salva- 
tion on the ground of extraordinary 
devotedness to religion, he said that 
he could. Touching the righteousness 
which is in the law, blameless. So far as 
the righteousness which can be ob- 
tained by obeying ttre law is con- 
cerned. It is not needful to suppose 
here that he refers merely to the cer- 
emonial law ; but the meaning is, that 
he did all that could be done to obtain 
salvation by the mere observance of 
law. It was supposed by the Jews, 
and especially by the Pharisees, to 
which sect he belonged, that it was 
possible to be saved in that way ; and 
Paul says that he had done all that 
was supposed to be necessary for that. 
We are not to imagine that, when he 
penned this declaration, he meant to 
be understood as saying that he had 
wholly complied with the law of God; 
but that, before his con version, he 
supposed that he had done all that was 
necessary to be done in order to be 
saved by the observance of law. He 
neglected no duty that he understood 
it to enjoin. He was not guilty of de- 
liberately violating it. He led a moral 
and strictly upright life, and no one 
had occasion to u blame" or to accuse 
him as a violator of the law of God. 
There is every reason to believe that 
Paul, before his conversion, was a 
young man of correct deportment, of 
upright conduct, of entire integrity ; 
and that he was free from the indul- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



183 



7 But what things were gain to 
rne, those I counted loss a for Christ. 

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all 

a Matt. 13. 44. 



gences of vice and passioD, into which 
young men often fall. In all that he 
ever says of himself as being "ttie 
chief of sinners," and as being "un- 
worthy to be called an apostle," he 
never gives the least intimation that 
his early life was stained by vice, or 
corrupted by licentious passions. On 
the contrary, we are left to the fair 
presumption that, if any man could be 
saved by his own works, he was that 
man. This fact should be allowed to 
make its proper impression on those 
who are seeking salvation in the same 
way; and they should be willing to 
inquire whether they may not be de- 
ceived in the matter, as he was, and 
whether they are not in as much real 
danger in depending on their own 
righteousness as was this most up- 
right and zealous young man. 

7. But what things were gain to me. 
The advantages of birth, of education, 
and of external conformity to the law. 
"I thought these to be gain — that is, 
to be of vast advantage in the matter 
of salvation. I valued myself on these 
things, and supposed that I was rich 
in all that pertained to moral charac- 
ter and to religion." Perhaps, also, he 
refers to these things as laying the 
foundation of a hope of future ad- 
vancement in honor and in wealth in 
this world. They commended him to 
the rulers of the nation; they opened 
before him a brilliant prospect of dis- 
tinction ; they made it certain that 
he could rise to posts of honor and of 
office, and could easily gratify all the 
aspirings of his ambition. H Those I 
counted loss. "I now regard them all 
as so much loss. They were really a 
disadvantage — a hinderance— an inju- 
ry. I look upon them, not" as gain or 
as an advantage, but as an obstacle 
to my salvation." He had relied on 
them. He had been led by these 
things to an improper estimate of his 
own character, and he had been thus 
hindered from embracing the true re-^ 
ligion. He says, therefore, that he 
now renounced all dependence on 
them ; that he esteemed them, not as 
contributing to his salvation, but, so 
far as any reliance was placed on them, 
as in fact so much loss. ^For Christ. 



things hut loss for b the excellency 
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus 
my Lord : for whom I have c suf- 

6Iaa.53.ll. Jer.9.23,24. Jno.17.3. 1 Cor. 2. 2. 
c 2 Cor. 11. 25, 27. 



Gr., "On account of Christ." That is, 
so far as Christ and his religion were 
concerned, they were to b* regarded 
as worthless. In order to obtain sal- 
vation by him, it was necessary to 
renounce all dependence on these 
things. 

8. Yea doubtless, and I count all things 
but loss. Not only those things which 
he had just specified, and which he had 
himself possessed, he says he would be 
willing to renounce in order to obtain 
an interest in the Saviour, but every 
thing which could be imagined. Were 
all the wealth and honor which could 
be conceived of his, he would be wil- 
ling to renounce them in order that 
he might obtain the knowledge of the 
Redeemer. He would be a gainer who 
should sacrifice every thing in order 
to win Christ. Paul had not only act- 
ed on this principle when he became 
a Christian, but had ever afterward 
continued to be ready to give up every 
thing in order that he might obtain 
an interest in the Saviour. He uses 
here the same word — ^^iav — which 
he does in the Acts of the Apostles, 
ch. xxvii. 21, when speaking of the loss 
which had been sustained by loosing 
from Crete, contrary to his advice, on 
the voyage to Rome. The idea here 
seems to be, " What I might obtain, 
or did possess, I regard as loss in com- 
parison with the knowledge of Christ, 
even as seamen do the goods on which 
they set a high value, in comparison 
with their lives. Valuable as they may 
be, they are willing to throw them 
all overboard in order to save them- 
selves." — Burder, in Ros. Alt. u. neu. 
Morgenland, in loc. ^For the excellency 
of the knowledge. A Hebrew expression 
to denote excellent knowledge. The idea 
is, that he held every thing else to be 
worthless in comparison with that 
knowledge, and he was willing to sac- 
rifice every thing else in order to ob- 
tain it. On the value of. this knowl- 
edge of the Saviour, see Notes on Kph. 
iii. 19. 1 For whom I hare suffered the 
loss of all things. Paul, when he became 
a Christian, gave up his brilliant pros- 
pects in regard to this life, and every 
thing, indeed, on which his heart had 
been placed. He abandoned the hope 



184 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



fered the loss of all tilings, and do 
count them but dung, that I may 
win Christ, 



of honor and distinction; he sacrificed 
every prospect of gain or ease ; and he 
gave up his dearest friends and sepa- 
rated him^lf from those whom he ten- 
derly loved. He might have risen to 
the highest posts of honor in his native 
land, and the path which an ambitious 
young man desires was fully open be- 
fore him. But all this had been cheer- 
fully sacrificed in order that he might 
obtain an interest in the Saviour, and 
partake of the blessings of his relig- 
ion. He has not, indeed, informed us 
of the exact extent of his loss in be- 
coming a Christian. It is by no means 
improbable that he had been excom- 
municated by the Jews, and that he 
had been disowned by his own family. 
'ft And do count them but dung. The 
word here used — a-KuftaXov — occurs 
nowhere else in the New Testament. 
It means, properly, dregs; refuse, what 
is thrown away as worthless; chaff; 
offal, or the refuse of a table or of 
slaughtered animals ; and then filth of 
any kind. No language could express 
a more deep sense of the utter worth- 
lessness of all which external advan- 
tages can confer in the matter of sal- 
vation. In the question of justifica- 
tion before God, all reliance on birth, 
and blood, and external morality, and 
forms of religion, and prayers, and 
alms, is to be renounced, and, in com- 
parison with the merits of the great 
Redeemer, to be esteemed as utterly 
vile and worthless. Such were Paul's 
views, and we may remark that if this 
was so in his case, it should be in ours. 
Such things can no more avail for our 
salvation than they could for his. We 
can no more be justified by them than 
he could. Nor will they do any thing 
more in our case to commend us to 
God than they did in his. 

9. And be found in him. That is, 
united to him by a living faith. The 
idea is, that when the investigations 
of the great day should take place in 
regard to the ground of salvation, it 
might be found that he was united to 
the Redeemer, and depended solely 
on his merits for salvation. Comp. 
Notes on John vi. 56. ^Not having 
mine own righteousness. That is, not 
relying on that for salva:ion. This 
was now the great aim of Paul, that it 



9 And be found in him, not hav- 
ing mine own a righteousness, 
which is of the law, but that which 

a Rom. 10. 3, 5. 

might be found at last that he was not 
trusting to his own merits, but to 
those of the Lord Jesus. T\ Which is 
of the law. See Notes on Rom. x. 3. 
The "righteousness which is of the 
law" is that which could be obtained 
by conformity to the precepts of the 
Jewish religion, such as Paul had en- 
deavored to obtain before he became 
a Christian. He now saw that no one 
complied perfectly with the holy law 
of God, and that all dependence on 
such a righteousness was vain. All 
men by nature seek salvation by the 
law. They set up some standard 
which they mean to comply with, and 
expect to be saved by conformity to 
that. With some it is the law of hon- 
or; with others, the laws of honesty; 
with others, the law of kindness and 
courtesy; with others, the law of God. 
If they comply with the requirements 
of these laws, they suppose that they 
will be safe, and it is only the grace 
of God showing them how defective 
their standard is, or how far they come 
from complying with its demands, 
that can ever bring them from this 
dangerous dependence. Paul in early 
life depended on his compliance with 
the laws of God as he understood 
them, and supposed that he was safe. 
When he was brought to realize his 
true condition, he saw how far short 
he had come of what the law of God 
required, and that all dependence on 
his own works was vain. Compare 
Notes on Rom. vii. 9-11. ^But that 
which is through the faith of Christ. 
That justification which is obtained 
by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. 
See Notes on Rom. i. 17 ; iii. 24; iv. 5. 
IT The righteousness which is of God by 
faith. Which proceeds from God, or 
of which he is the great source and 
fountain. This may include the fol- 
lowing things: (1.) God is the author 
of pardon — and this is a part of the 
righteousness which the man who is 
justified has. (2.) God purposes to 
. treat the justified sinner as if he had 
not sinned — and thus his righteous- 
ness is of God. (3.) God is the source 
of all the grace that will be imparted 
to the soul, making it really holy. In 
this way, all the righteousness which 
the Christian has is " of God." The 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



185 



is through the faith of Christ, the 
righteousness a which is of God 
by faith : 

a Rom. 1. 17; 3.21,22. 

idea of Paul is, that he now saw that 
it was far more desirable to be saved 
by righteousness obtained from God 
than by his own. That obtained from 
God was perfect, and glorious, and 
sufficient; that which he had attempt- 
ed to work out for himself was de- 
fective, impure, and wholly insuffi- 
cient to save the soul. It is far more 
honorable to be saved by God than it 
would be to save ourselves; it is more 
glorious to depend on him than to 
depend on any thing that we can do. 

10. That I may know him. That I 
may be fully acquainted with his na- 
ture, his character, his work, and with 
the salvation which he has wrought 
out. It is one of the highest objects 
of desire in the mind of the Christian 
to know Christ. See Notes on Eph. 
iii. 19. U And the power of his resurrec- 
tion. That is, that I may understand 
and experience the proper influence 
which the fact of his resurrection 
should have on the mind. That in- 
fluence would be felt in imparting the 
hope of immortality ; in sustaining 
the soul in the prospect of death by 
the expectation of being raised from 
the grave in like manner; and in rais- 
ing the mind above the world. Rom. 
vi. 11. There is no one truth that 
will have gveo.ter power over us, when 
properly believed, than the truth that 
Christ has risen from the dead. His 
resurrection confirms the truth of the 
Christian religion (see Notes on 1 Cor. 
xv. 12-19); makes it certain that there 
is a future state, and that the dead 
will also rise; dispels the darkness 
that was around the grave, and shows 
us that our great interests are in the 
future world. The fact that Christ 
has risen from the dead, when fully 
believed, will produce a sure hope 
that we also shall be raised, and will 
animate us to bear trials for his sake, 
with the assurance that we shall be 
raised up as he was. One of the things 
which a Christian ought most earn- 
estly to desire is to feel the power of 
this truth on his soul — that his great 
Redeemer has burst the bands of 
death; has brought life and immor- 
tality to light; and has given us a 
pledge that our bodies shall rise. 
What trials may we not bear with this 



10 That I may know him, and 
the power of his resurrection, and 
the b fellowship of his sufferings, 

6 1 Pet. 4. 13. 

assurance? What is to be dreaded in 
death if this is so ? What glories rise 
to the view when we think of the res- 
urrection ! And what trifles are all 
the things which men seek here, when 
compared with the glory that shall be 
ours when we shall be raised from the 
dead! \And the fellovjship of his suf- 
ferings. That I may participate in 
the same kind of sufferings that he en- 
dured; that is, that I may in all things 
be identified with him. Paul wished 
to be just like his Saviour. He felt 
that it was an honor to live as he did ; 
to evince the spirit that he did ; and 
even to suffer in the same manner. 
All that Christ did and suffered was 
glorious in his view, and he wished in 
all things to resemble him. He did 
not desire merely to share his honors 
and triumphs in heaven, but, regard- 
ing his whole work as glorious, he 
wished to be entirely conformed to 
that, and, as far as possible, to be just 
like Christ. Many are willing to reign 
with Christ, but they would not be 
willing to suffer with him; many 
would be willing to wear a crown of 
glory like him, but not the crown of 
thorns ; many would be willing to put 
on the robes of splendor with which 
the righteous will be adorned in heav- 
en, but not the scarlet robe of con- 
tempt and mockery. They would de- 
sire to share the glories and triumphs 
of redemption, but not its poverty, 
contempt, and persecution. This was 
not the feeling of Paul. He wished 
in all things to be just like Christ, and 
hence he counted it an honor to be 
permitted to suffer as he did. So Pe- 
ter says, u Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are 
partakers of Christ's sufferings." 1 
Pet. iv. 13. So Paul says (Col. i.24) 
that he rejoiced in his sufferings" in 
behalf of his brethren, and desired " to 
fill up that which was behind of the 
afflictions of Christ," or that in which 
he had hitherto come short of the af- 
flictions which Christ endured. The 
idea is, that it is an honor to suffer as 
Christ suffered; and that the true 
Christian will esteem it a privilege to 
be made just like him, not only in glory, 
but in trial. To do this is one evi- 
dence of piety, and we may ask our- 
selves, therefore, whether these are 



186 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



being made conformable unto his 
death ; 

11 If by any means I might a at- 



tain unto the resurrection of the 
dead. 

12 Not as though I had already 



the feelings of our hearts. Are we 
seeking merely the honors of heaven, 
or would we esteem it a privilege to 
be reproached and reviled as Christ ! 
was — to have our names cast out as | 
his was — to be made the object of j 
sport and derision as he was— and to 
be held up to the contempt of the j 
world as he was ? If so, it is an evi- 
deiiee that we love him ; if not so, and 
we are merely seeking the crown of 
glory, we should doubt whether we 
have ever known any thing of the na- 
ture of true religion. U Being made \ 
conformable to his death. In all things 1 
being just like Christ— to live as he 
did, and to die as he did. There can j 
be no doubt that Paul means to say 
that he esteemed it so desirable to be 
just like Christ, that he would regard j 
it as an honor to die in the same man- j 
ner. He would rejoice to go with him j 
to the cross, and to pass through the 
circumstances of scorn and pain which 
attended such a death. Yet how few 
there are who would be willing to die 
as Christ died, and how little would 
the mass of men regard it as a privi- 
lege and honor ! It requires a very 
elevated state of pious feeling to be | 
able to say that it would be regarded 
as a privilege and honor to die like : 
Christ; to have such a sense of the | 
loveliness of his character in all \ 
things, and such ardent attachment 
to him, as to rejoice in the opportu- 
nity of dying as he # did ! When we 
think of dying, we wish to have our 
departure made as comfortable as pos- 
sible. We would have our sun go 
down without a cloud. We would 
wish to lie on a bed of down; we 
would have our head sustained by the 
kind arm of a friend, and not left to 
fall, in the intensity of suffering, on 
the breast; we would wish to have 
the place where we die surrounded by 
sympathizing kindred, and not by 
those who would mock our dying ag- 
onies. And, if such is the will of God, 
it is not improper to desire that our 
end may be peaceful and happy; but 
we should also feel, if God should or- 
der it otherwise, that it would be an 
honor, in the cause of the Redeemer, 
to die amidst reproaches— to be led to 
the stake as the martyrs have been — 



or to die, as our Master did, on a cross. 
They who are most like him in the 
scenes of humiliation here, will be 
most like him in the realms of glory. 

11. If by any means. Implying that 
he meant to make use of the most 
strenuous exertions to obtain the ob- 
ject. 1 1 might attain unto. I may 
come to, or may secure this object, 
IT The resurrection of the dead. Paul be- 
lieved that all the dead would be raised 
(Acts xxiv. 15 ; xxvi. 6-8); and in this 
respect he would certainly attain to 
the resurrection of the dead, in com- 
mon with all mankind. But the 
phrase, "the resurrection of the 
dead," also might be used, in a more 
limited sense, to denote the resurrec- 
tion of the righteous as a most desira- 
ble object ; and this might be secured 
by effort. It was this which Paul 
sought — this for which he strove — 
this that was so bright an object in 
his eye that it was to be secured at 
any sacrifice. To rise with the saints ; 
to enter with them into the blessed- 
ness of the heavenly inheritance, was 
an object that the apostle thought to 
be worth every effort which could be 
made. The doctrine of the resurrec- 
tion was, in his view, that which dis- 
tinguished the true religion, and 
which made it of such inestimable val- 
ue (Acts xxvi. 6, 7; xxiii. 6; 1 Cor. 
xv.); and he sought to participate in 
the full honor and glory of such a res- 
urrection. 

12. Not as though I had already at- 
tained. This verse, and the two fol- 
lowing, are full of allusions to the 
Grecian races, and it will illustrate the 
whole passage to insert a cut repre- 
senting a Grecian foot-race. We shall 
thus have the image before us which 
probably the apostle had in his eye 
when he penned the passage. (See 
opposite page.) " The word rendered 
'attained' signifies tQjUave arrived at 
the goal and won the prize, but with- 
out having as yet received it." — Put. 
Bib. The meaning here is, I do not 
pretend to have attained to what I 
wish or hope to be. He had indeed 
been converted; he had been raised 
up from the death of sin ; he had been 
blessed with spiritual life and peace ; 
but there was a glorious object before 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



189 



him which he had not yet received. 
There was to be a kind of resurrection 
which he had not arrived at. It is 
possible that Paul here may have had 
his eye on an error which prevailed to 
some extent in the early Church, that 
u the resurrection was already past" 
(2 Tim. ii. 18), by which the faith of 
some had been perverted. How far 
this error had spread, or on what it 
was founded, is not now known; but 
it is possible that it may have found 
advocates extensively in the churches. 
Paul says, however, that he enter- 
tained no such opinion. He looked 
forward to a resurrection which had 
not yet occurred. He anticipated it 
as a glorious event yet to come, and 
he purposed to secure it by every ef- 
fort which he could make. ^Either 
were already perfect. This is a distinct 
assertion of the apostle Paul that he 
did not regard himself as a perfect 
man. He had not reached that state 
where he was free from sin. It is not, 
indeed, a declaration that no one is 
perfect, or that no one can be in this 
life ; but it is a declaration that he did 
not regard himself as having attained 
to perfection. Yet who can urge bet- 
ter claims to perfection than Paul 
could have done ? Who has surpassed 
him in love, and zeal, and self-denial, 
and true devotedness to the service 
of the Redeemer ? Who has more el- 
evated views of God, and of the plan 
of salvation V Who prays more, or 
lives nearer to God than he did? That 
must be extraordinary piety which 
surpasses that of the apostle Paul; 
and he who lays claim to a degree of 
holiness which even Paul did not pre- 
tend to, gives little evidence that he 
has any true knowledge of himself, or 
has ever been imbued with the true 
humility which the Gospel produres. 
It should be observed, however, that 
many critics, as Blooinfield, Koppe, 
Rosenmuller, Robinson {Lex. ), Clarke, 
the editor of the Pictorial Bible, and 
others, suppose the word here used— 
TsXtLou) — not to refer to moral or 
Christian perfection, but to be an al- 
lusion to the games that were cele- 
brated in Greece, and to mean that he 
had not completed his course and ar- 
rived at the goal, so as to receive the 
prize. According to this, the sense 
would be, that he had not yet received 
the crown which he aspired after as 
the result of his efforts in this life. It 
is of importance to understand pre- I 



cisely what he meant by the declara- 
tion here ; and, in order to this, it will 
be proper to look at the meaning of 
the word elsewhere in the New Testa- 
ment. The word properly means to 
complete, to make perfect, so as to be 
full, or so that nothing shall be want- 
ing. In the New Testament it is used 
in the following places, and is trans- 
lated in the following manner : It is 
rendered fulfilled in Luke ii. 23 ; John 
xix. 28 ; perfect, and perfected, in Luke 
xiii. 32; John xvii. 23; 2 Cor. xii. 9; 
Phil. iii. 12; Heb. ii. 10; v. 9; vii. 19; 
ix. 9; x. 1, 14; xi. 40; xii. 23; James 
ii. 22; 1 John ii. 5; iv. 12, 17, 18; fin- 
ish, and finished, John v. 36 ; Acts xx. 
24; and consecrated, Heb. vii. 28. In 
one case (Acts xx. 24) it is applied to 
a race or course that is run — u That I 
might finish my course with joy;" 
but this is the only instance,* unless it 
be in the case before us. The ptoper 
sense of the word is that of bringing 
to an end, or rendering complete, so 
that nothing shall be wanting. The 
idea of Paul evidently is, that he had 
not yet attained that which would be 
the completion of his hopes. There 
was something which he was striving 
after which he had not obtained, and 
which was needful to render him per- 
fect, or complete. He lacked now 
what he hoped yet to attain to ; and 
that which he lacked may refer to all 
those things which were wanting in 
his character and condition then, 
which he expected to secure in the 
resurrection. What he would then 
obtain would he perfect freedom from 
sin, deliverance from trials and temp- 
tations, victory over the grave, and 
the possession of immortal life. As 
those things were needful in order to 
the completion of his happiness, we 
may suppose that he referred to them 
now, when he says that he was not 
yet "perfect." This word, therefore, 
while it will embrace an allusion to 
moral character, need not be under- 
stood of that only, but may include 
all those things w 7 hich were necessary 
to be observed in order to his com 
plete felicity. Though there may be, 
therefore, an allusion in the passage 
to the Grecian foot-races (comp. cut 
on page 187), yet still it would teach 
that he did not regard himself as in 
any sense perfect. In all respects, 
there were things wanting to render 
his character and condition complete, 
or what he desired they might ulti- 



190 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



attained, either were already per- 
fect : a but I follow after, if that I 
may apprehend that for which 

aHeb. 12.23. 

mately be. The same is true of all 
Christians now. e We are imperfect in 
our moral and religious character; in 
our joys ; in our condition. Our state 
here is far different from that which 
will exist in heaven ; and no Christian 
can say, any more than Paul could, 
that he has obtained that which is 
requisite to the completion or perfection 
of his character and condition. He 
looks for something brighter and 
purer in the world beyond the grave. 
Though, therefore, there may be — as I 
think the connection and phraseology 
seem to demand — a reference to the 
Grecian games, yet .the sense of the 
passage is not materially varied. It 
was still a struggle for the crown of 
perfection — a crown which the apos- 
tle says he had not yet obtained. ^But 
I follow after. I pursue the object, 
striving to obtain it. The prize was 
seen in the distance, and he diligently 
sought to obtain it. There is a refer- 
ence here to the Grecian races, and 
the meaning is, "I steadily pursue my 
course. ' ' Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. ix. 24. 
^If that I may apprehend. If I may 
obtain, or reach, the heavenly prize. 
There was a glorious object in view, 
and he made most strenuous exer- 
tions to obtain it. The idea in the 
word "apprehend" is that of taking 
hold of, or of seizing suddenly and 
with eagerness ; and, since there is no 
doubt of its being used in an allusion 
to the Grecian foot-races, it is not im- 
probable that there is a reference to 
the laying hold of the pole or post 
which marked the goal by the racer 
who had outstripped the other com- 
petitors, and who, by that act, might 
claim the victory and the reward. See 
preceding cut. 1 That for which also 
lam apprehended of Christ Jesus. By 
Christ'Jesus. The idea is, that he had 
been called into the service of the 
Lord Jesus with a view to the obtain- 
ing of an important object. He recog- 
nized (1.) the fact that the Lord Jesus 
had, as it were, laid hold on him, or 
seized him with eagerness or sudden- 
ness, for so the word used here — 
KaTtXijcpSriiv— means (comp. Mark ix. 
18; John viii. 3, 4; xii. 35; IThess. v. 
4); and (2.) the fact that the Lord Je- 
sus had laid hold on him with a view to 



also I am apprehended of Christ 
Jesus. 

13 Brethren, I count not myself 



his obtaining the prize. He had done 
it in order that he might obtain the 
crown of life — that he might serve 
him faithfully on earth, and then be 
rewarded in heaven. We may learn 
from this, (1.) That Christians are 
seized, or laid hold on, when they are 
converted, by the power of Christ, to 
be employed in his service. (2.) That 
there is an object or purpose which 
he has in view. He designs that they 
shall obtain a glorfous prize, and he 
"apprehends" them with reference to 
its attainment. (3. ) That the fact that 
Christ has called us into his service 
with reference to such an object, and 
designs to bestow the crown upon us, 
need not and should not dampen our 
exertions or diminish our zeal. It 
should rather, as in the case of Paul, 
excite our ardor, and urge us forward. 
We should seek diligently to gain that 
for the securing of which Christ has 
called us into his service. The fact 
that he has thus arrested us in our 
mad career of sin ; that he has by his 
grace constrained us to enter into his 
service, and that he contemplates the 
bestowment upon us of the immortal 
crown, should be the highest motive 
for effort. The true Christian, then, 
who feels that heaven is to be his 
home, and who believes that Christ 
means to bestow it upon him, will 
make the most strenuous efforts to 
obtain it. The prize is so beautiful 
and glorious that he will exert every 
power of body and soul that it may be 
his. The belief, therefore, that God 
means to save us, is one of the highest 
in&ntives to effort in the cause of re- 
ligion. 

13. Brethren, I count not myself to have 
apprehended. That is, to have obtained 
that for which I have been called into 
the service of the Redeemer. There is 
something which I strive after which 
I have not yet gained. This statement 
is a confirmation of the opinion that 
in the previous verse, where he says 
that he was not "already perfect," he 
includes a moral perfection, and not 
merely the obtainment of the prize or 
reward; for no one could suppose that 
he meant to be understood as saying 
that he had obtained the crown of 
glory. \ This one thing I do. Paul had 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



191 



to have apprehended ; but this one 
thing / do, forgetting a those things 
which are behind, and reaching 

aPsa.45. 10. Heb.6.1. 

one great aim and purpose of life. He 
did not attempt to mingle the world 
and religion, and to gain both. He 
did not seek to obtain wealth and sal- 
vation too, or honor here and the 
crown of glory hereafter, but he had 
one object, one aim, one great purpose 
of soul. To this singleness of purpose 
he owedhis extraordinary attainments 
in piety, and his uncommon success as 
a minister. A man will accomplish lit- 
tle who allows his mind to be distract- 
ed by a multiplication of objects. A 
Christian will accomplish nothing who 
has not a single great aim and purpose 
of soul. That purpose should be to 
secure the prize, and to renounce ev- 
ery thing that would be in the way to 
its attainment. Let us then so live 
that we may be able to say that there 
is one great object which we always 
have in view, and that we mean to 
avoid every thing which would inter- 
fere with that, "fl Forgetting those tilings 
lohich are behind. There is an allusion 
here undoubtedly to the Grecian rices. 
One running to secure the prize would 
not stop to look behind him to see 
how much ground he had run over, or 
who of his competitors had fallen or 
lingered in the way. He would keep 
his eye steadily on the prize, and strain 
every nerve that he might obtain it. 
If his attention was diverted for a mo- 
ment from that, it would hinder his 
flight, and might be the means of his 
losing the crown. See cut on page 
187. So the apostle says it was with 
him. He looked onward to the prize. 
He fixed the eye intently on that. It 
was the single object in his view, and 
he did not allow his mind to be di- 
verted from that by any thing— not 
even by the contemplation of the past. 
He did not stop to think of the diffi- 
culties which he had overcome, or the 
troubles which he had met, but he 
thought of what was yet to be accom- 
plished. This does not mean that he 
would not have regarded a proper con- 
templation of the past life as useful 
and profitable for a Christian (comp. 
Notes on Eph. ii. 11), but that he would j 
not allow any reference to the past to 
interfere with the one great effort to 
win the prize. It may be, and is,prof- 
itable for a Christian to look over the 



forth unto those things which are 
before, 

14 I press b toward the mark for 

6 1 Cor. 9. 24. Heb. 12.1. 

past mercies of God to his soul in or- 
der to awaken emotions of gratitude 
in the heart, and to think of his short- 
comings and errors to produce peni- 
tence and humility. But none of these 
things should be allowed for one mo- 
ment to divert the mind from the pur- 
pose to win the incorruptible crown. 
And it may be remarked in general 
that a Christian will make more rapid 
advances in piety by looking forward 
than by looking backward. Forward 
we see every thing to cheer and ani- 
mate us— the crown of victory, the 
joys of heaven, the society of the 
blessed — the Saviour beckoning to us 
and encouraging us. Backward w r e see 
every thing to dishearten and to hum- 
ble. Our own unfaithfulness ; our 
coldness, deadness, and dullness ; the 
little zeal and ardor which we have, 
all are fitted to humble and discour- 
age. He is the most cheerful Chris- 
tian w 7 ho looks onward, and who keeps 
heaven always in view ; he who is ac- 
customed much to dwell on the past, 
though he may be a true Christian, 
will be likely to be melancholy and 
dispirited, to be a recluse rather than 
a warm-hearted and active friend of 
the Saviour. Or, if he looks backward 
to contemplate what he has done— the 
space that he has run over— the diffi- 
culties which he has surmounted — 
and his own rapidity in the race, he 
will be likely to become self-compla- 
cent and self-satisfied. He will trust 
in his past endeavors, and feel that 
the prize is now secure, and will relax 
his future efforts. Let us then look 
onward. Let us not spend our time 
either in pondering on our own un- 
faithfulness, making the past gloomy, 
or in thinking how much we have 
done, thus becoming puffed up with 
self-complacency ; but let us keep the 
eye steadily on the prize, and run the 
race as though we had just commenced 
it. If And reaching forth. As one does 
in a race. If Unto those things which 
are before. Before the racer there was 
a crown or garland to be bestowed by 
i the judges of the games. Before the 
Christian there is the crown of glory, 
the eternal reward of heaven. There 
is the favor of God, victory over sio 
and death, the society of the redeem- 



192 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



the prize of the high a calling of 
God in Christ Jesus. 

15 Let us therefore, as many as 
be perfect, * be thus c minded ; and 

a Heb. 3. 1. bl Cor. 2. 6. 

ed and of angelic beings, and the as- 
surance of perfect and eternal freedom 
from all evil. These are enough to 
animate the soul, and to urge it on 
with ever-increasing vigor in the 
Christian race. 

14. 1 press toward the mark. As he 
who was running a race did. The 
"mark" means properly the object 
set up at a distance at which one looks 
or aims, and hejice the goal, or post 
which was set up at the end of a race- 
course, and which was to be reached 
in order that the prize might be won. 
Here it means that which is at the end 
of the Christian race — in heaven. 
U For the prize. The prize of the racer 
was a crown or garland of olive, lau- 
rel, pine, or apple. See Notes on 1 
Cor. ix. 24. The prize of the Chris- 
tian is the crown that is incorruptible 
in heaven. H Of the high calling of God. 
Which is the end or result of that call- 
ing. God has called us to great and 
noble efforts ; to a career of true hon- 
or and glory ; to the obtainment of a 
bright and imperishable crown. It is 
a calling which is "high" or upward — 
avco — that is, which tends to the skies. 
The calling of the Christian is from 
heaven and to heaven. Comp. Prov. 
xv. 24. He has been summoned by 
God, through the Gospel of the Lord 
Jesus, to secure the crown. It is 
placed before and above him in heav- 
en. It may be his if he will not faint, 
or tire, or look backward. It demands 
his highest efforts, and it is worth all 
the exertions which a mortal can 
make, even in the longest life. 

15. Let us therefore, as many as be per- 
fect. See Notes on ver. 12. Or, rath- 
er, those who would be perfect, or who 
are aiming at perfection. It can hard- 
ly be supposed that the apostle would 
address them as already perfect when 
he had just said of himself that he had 
not attained to that state. But those 
whom he addressed might be sup- 
posed to be aiming at perfection, and 
he exhorts them, therefore, to have 
the same spirit that he himself had, 
and to make the same efforts which 
he himself put forth. If Be thus mind- 
ed. That is, be united in the effort to 
obtain the prize, and to become en- 



if in any thing ye be otherwise 
minded, God shall reveal even this 
unto you. 
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have 

c Gal. 5. 10. 

tirely perfect. "Let them put forth 
the same effort which I do, forgetting 
what is behind, and pressing forward 
to the mark." And if in anything 
ye be otherwise minded. That is, If there 
are any among you who have not these 
elevated views and aims, and who have 
not been brought to see the necessity 
of such efforts, or who have not learn- 
ed that such high attainments are pos- 
sible. There might be those among 
them who had been very imperfectly 
instructed in the. nature of religion; 
those who entertained views which 
impeded their progress, and prevented 
the simple and earnest striving for 
salvation which Paul was enabled to 
put forth. He had laid aside every 
obstacle; he had renounced all the 
Jewish opinions which had impeded 
his salvation, and he had now one sin- 
gle aim — that of securing the prize. 
But there might be those who had not 
attained to these views, and who were 
still^mpeded and embarrassed by er- 
roneous opinions. 1[ God shall reveal 
even this unto you. He will correct 
your erroneous opinions, and disclose 
to you the importance of making this 
effort for the prize. This is the ex- 
pression of an opinion that to those 
who were sincere and true Christians 
God would yet make a full revelation 
of the nature of religion, or would lead 
them on so that they would fully un- 
derstand it. They who are acquaint- 
ed with religion at all, or who have 
been truly converted, God will teach 
and guide until they shall have a full 
understanding of divine things. 
Comp. Prov. iv. 18. 

16. Xevertheless, whereto we have al- 
ready attained, lemkts walk by the same 
ride. This is a most wise and valua- 
ble rule, and a rule that would save 
much difficulty and contention in the 
Church if it were honestly applied. 
The meaning is this, that though there 
might be different degrees of attain- 
ment among Christians, and different 
views on many subjects, yet there 
were points in which all could agree ; 
there were attainments which they all 
had made, and in reference to those 
things they should walk in harmony 
and love. It might be that some had 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



193 



already attained, let us walk by 
the same rule, a let us mind the 
same thing. * 
17 Brethren, be followers 6 togeth- 

aGal. 6. 16. 6 1 Thess. 1.6. 

made much greater advances than oth- 
ers. They had more elevated views of 
religion ; they had higher knowledge ; 
they were nearer perfection. Others 
had had less advantages of education 
and instruction, and fewer opportuni- 
ties of making progress in the divine 
life, and they would less understand 
the higher mysteries of the Christian 
life. They might not see the truth or 
propriety of many things which those 
in advance of them would see clearly. 
But it was not worth while to quarrel 
about these things. There should be 
no angry feeling, and no fault-finding 
on either side. There were many 
things in which they could see alike, 
and where there were no jarring sen- 
timents. In those things they could 
walk harmoniously; and they who 
were in advance of others should not 
complain of their less-informed breth- 
ren as lacking all evidence of piety, 
nor should those who had not made 
such advances complain of those be- 
fore them as fanatical, or as disposed 
to push things to extremes. They 
who had the higher views should, as 
Paul did, believe that God will yet 
communicate them to the Church at 
large, and in the mean time should 
not denounce others ; and those who 
had less elevated attainments should 
not censure their brethren as wild and 
visionary. There were common grounds 
on which they might unite, and thus 
the harmony of the Church would be 
secured. No better rule than this 
could be applied to the subjects of in- 
quiry which spring up among Chris- 
tians respecting temperance, slavery, 
moral reform, and the various doc- 
trines of religion ; and, if this rule had 
been always observed, the Church 
would have been always saved from 
harsh contention and from schism. 
If a man does not see things just as 
I do, let me try with meekness to 
" teach 1 ' him, and let me believe that, 
if he is a Christian, God will make this 
known to him yet; but let me not 
quarrel with him, for neither of us 
would be benefited by that, nor woum* 
the object be likely to be attained. 
In the mean time, there arc many 
things in which we can agree. In 



er of me, and mark them which 
walk so, as ye have us c for an en- 
sample. 

18 (For many walk, of whom I 

c 1 Pet. 5. 3. 

them let us work together, and strive, 
as far as we can, to promote the com- 
mon object. Thus we shall save our 
temper, give no occasion to the world 
to reproach us, and be much more like- 
ly to come together in all our views. The 
best way to make Christians harmo- 
nious is to labor together in the com- 
mon cause of saving souls. As far as 
we can agree, let us go and labor to- 
gether; and where we can not yet, let 
us "agree to differ." We shall all 
think alike by-and-by. 

17. Brethren, be followers together of 
me. That is, live as I do. A minister 
of the Gospel, a parent, or a Christian 
of any age or condition, ought so to 
live that he can refer to his own ex- 
ample, and exhort others to imitate 
the course of life which he had led. 
Paul could do this without ostenta- 
tion or impropriety. They knew that 
he lived so as to be a proper example 
for others; and he knew that they 
would feel that his life had been such 
that there would be no impropriety 
in his referring to it in this manner. 
But, alas ! how few are there who can 
safely imitate Paul in this! ^ And 
mark them which walk so. as ye have us 
for an ensample. There were those in 
the Church who endeavored to live as 
he had done, renouncing all confi- 
dence in the flesh, and aiming to win 
the prize. There were others, it would 
seem, who were actuated by different 
views. See ver. 18. There are usually 
two kinds of professing Christians in 
every Church — those who imitate the 
Saviour, and those who are worldly 
and vain. The exhortation here is, to 
" mark" — that is, to observe with a 
view to imitate — those who lived as 
the apostles did. We should set be- 
fore our minds the best examples, and 
endeavor to imitate the most holy 
men. A worldly and fashionable pro- 
fessor of religion is a very bad exam- 
ple to follow; and, especially, young 
Christians should set before their 
minds for imitation, and associate 
with, the purest and most spiritual 
members of the Church. Our relig- 
ion takes its form and complexion 
much from those with whom we as- 
sociate; and he will usually be the 



194 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D.64. 



have told you often, and now tell 
you even weeping, that they are 



the enemies a of the cross* of 

Christ ; 

a Gal. 1. 12. 



most holy man who associates with 
the most holy companions. 

18. For many walk. Many live, the 
Christian life being often in the Script- 
ures compared with a journey. In or- 
der to induce them to imitate those 
who were the most holy, the apostle 
says that there were many, even in 
the Church, whom it would not be 
safe for them to imitate. He evident- 
ly here refers mainly to the Church at 
Philippi, though it may be that he 
meant to make the declaration gen- 
eral, and to say that the same thing 
existed in other churches. There has 
not probably been any time yet in the 
Christian Church when the same thing 
might not be said. ^[ Of whom I have 
told you often. When he preached in 
Philippi. Paul was not afraid to speak 
of Church-members when they did 
wrong, and to warn others not to im- 
itate their example. He did not at- 
tempt to cover up or excuse guilt be- 
cause it was in the Church, or to apol- 
ogize for the defects and errors of 
those who professed to be Christians. 
The true way is, to admit that there 
are those in the Church who do not 
honor their religion, and to warn oth- 
ers against following their example. 
But this fact does not make religion 
any the less true or valuable, any more 
than the fact that there is counterfeit 
money makes all money bad, or makes 
genuine coin of no value. %And now 
tell you even weeping. This is the true 
spirit with which to speak of the er- 
rors and faults of Christians. It is not 
to go and blazon their inconsistencies 
abroad. It is not to find pleasure in 
the fact that they are inconsistent. It 
is not to reproach religion on that ac- 
count, and to say that all religion is 
false and hollow, and that all profess- 
ors are hypocrites. We should rather 
speak of the fact with tears ; for, if 
there is any thing that should make 
us weep, it is, that there are those in 
the Church who are hypocrites, or 
who dishonor their profession. We 
should weep, (1.) because they are in 
danger of destroying their own souls; 
(2.) because they are destined to cer- 
tain disappointment when they come 
to appear before God; and (3.) because 
they injure the cause of religion, and 
give occasion to the "enemies of the 



Lord to speak reproachfully. " He 
who loves religion will weep over the 
inconsistencies of his friends ; he who 
does not will exult and triumph. 
U That they are the enemies of the cross 
of Christ. The "cross" was the instru- 
ment of death on which the Redeemer 
made an atonement for sin. As the 
atonement made by Christ is that 
which peculiarly distinguishes his re- 
ligion from all others, the "cross" 
comes to be used to denote his relig- 
ion ; and the phrase here means, that 
they were the enemies of his religion, 
or were strangers to the Gospel. It 
is not to be supposed that they were 
open and avowed enemies of the cross, 
or that they denied that the Lord Je- 
sus died on the cross to make an 
atonement. The characteristic of 
those persons mentioned in the fol- 
lowing verse is rather that they were 
living in a manner which showed that 
they were strangers to his pure Gos- 
pel. An immoral life is enmity to the 
cross of Christ ; for he died to make 
us holy. A life where there is no evi- 
dence that the heart is renewed is en- 
mity to the cross, for he died that we 
might be renewed. They are the ene- 
mies of the cross, in the Church, (1.) 
who have never been born again ; (2.) 
who are living in the indulgence of 
known sin ; (3.) who manifest none of 
the peculiarities of those who truly 
love him ; (4.) who have a deeper in- 
terest in worldly affairs than they have 
in the cause of the Redeemer; (5.) 
whom nothing can induce to give up 
their worldly concerns when God de- 
mands it ; (6.) who are opposed to any 
of the peculiar doctrines of Christian- 
ity; and (7.) who are opposed to any 
of the peculiar duties of religion, or 
who live in the habitual neglect of 
them. It is to be feared that at all 
times there are such enemies of the 
cross in the Church, and the language 
of the apostle implies that it is a prop- 
er subject of grief and tears. He wept 
over it, and so should we. It is from 
this cause that so much injury is done 
to true religion in the world. One 
secret enemy in a camp may do more 
ffarm than fifty men who are open 
foes; and a single unholy or incon- 
stant member in a Church may do 
much more injury than many men 



A.D. 64 ] 



CHAPTER III. 



195 



19 Whose end a is destruction, 
whose God b is their belly, and 
whose glory c is in their shame, who 
mind earthly things.) 

a 2 Cor. 11. 15. 2 Pet. 2.1. b 1 Tim. 6. 5. 

who are avowedly opposed to relig- 
ion. It is not by infidels, and scoff- 
ers, and blasphemers, so much, that 
injury is done to the cause of relig- 
ion ; it is by the unholy lives of its 
professed friends — the worldliness, in- 
consistency, and want of the proper 
spirit of religion among those who 
are in the Church. Nearly all the ob- 
jections that are made to religion are 
from this quarter; and, if this objec- 
tion were taken away, the religion of 
Christ would soon spread its triumphs 
around the globe. 

19. Whose end is destruction. That 
is, as they have no true religion, they 
must perish in the same manner as all 
other sinners. A mere profession will 
not save them. Unless they are con- 
verted, and become the true friends 
of the cross, they can not enter heav- 
en. H Whose God is their belly. Who 
worship their own appetites ; or who 
live not to adore and honor God, but 
for self-indulgence and sensual grati- 
fications. See Rom. xvi. 18. \And 
whose glory is in their shame. That is, 
they glory in things of which they 
ought to be ashamed. They indulge 
in modes of living which ought to 
cover them with confusion. 1 Who 
mind earthly things. Whose hearts are 
set on earthly things, or who live to 
obtain them. Their attention is di- 
rected to honor, gain, or pleasure, and 
their chief anxiety is that they may 
secure these objects. This is men- 
tioned as one of the characteristics of 
enmity to the cross of Christ; and if 
this be so, how many are there in the 
Church now who are the real enemies 
of the cross ! How many professing 
Christians are there^who regard little 
else than worldly things ! How many 
who live only to acquire wealth, to 
gain honor, or to enjoy the pleaWres 
of the world ! How many are there 
who have no interest in a prayer-meet- 
ing, in a Sabbath-school, in religious 
conversation, and in the advancement 
of true religion on the earth ! These 
are the real enemies of the cross. It 
is not so much those who deny the 
doctrines of the cross, as it is those 
who oppose its influence on their 
hearts; not so much those who live 



20 For our conversation d is in 
heaven ; from whence also we look 
e for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus 
Christ ; 

cHos.4. 7. cZEph. 2.6,19. eHeb.9.28. 

to scoff and deride religion, as it is 
those who "mind earthly things," 
that injure this holy cause in the 
world. 

20. For our conversation is in heaven. 
That is, this is true of all who are sin- 
cere Christians. It is a characteristic 
of Chris tians, in contradistinction 
from those who are the"^iemies of 
the cross," that their conversation is 
in heaven. The word "conversation" 
we now apply almost entirely to oral 
discourse. It formerly, however, 
meant conduct in general, and it is usu- 
ally employed in this sense in the 
Scriptures. See Notes on chap. i. 27, 
where the verb occurs from which the 
noun here is derived. The word here 
used — TroXin-tv/ma — is found nowhere 
else in the New Testament. It prop- 
erly means any public measure, admin- 
istration of the state, the manner in 
which the affairs of a state are admin- 
istered ; and then the state itself, the 
community, commonwealth, those who 
are bound under the same laws, and 
associated in the same society. Here 
it can not mean that their " conversa- 
tion," in the sense of discourse or talk- 
ing, was in heaven, nor that their 
"conduct" was in heaven, for this 
would convey no idea, and, the original 
word does not demand'it; but the 
idea is, that they were heavenly citizens, 
or citizens of the heavenly world, in 
contradistinction from a worldly com- 
munity. They were governed by the 
laws of heaven ; they were a commu- 
nity associated as citizens of that 
world, and expecting there to dwell. 
The idea is, that there are two great 
communities in the universe — that of 
the world, and that of heaven; that 
which is governed by worldly laws 
and institutions, and that which is 
governed by the laws of heaven; that 
which is organized for worldly pur- 
poses, and that which is organized for 
heavenly or religious purposes; and 
that the Christian belonged to the lat- 
ter; the enemy of the cross, though 
in the Church, belonged to the former. 
Between true Christians, therefore, 
and others, there is all the difference 
which arises from belonging to differ- 
ent communities ; from being bound 



196 



PHILIPPIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



21 Who shall change a our vile to the working 5 whereby he is able 
body, that it may be fashioned like even c to subdue* all thing s unto 
unto his glorious body, according himself. 

a 1 Cor. 15.43, etc. 1 Jno. 3. 2. j 6 Eph. 1.19. c 1 Cor. 15. 26, 27. 

together for different purposes ; from allowed to exert almost no influence 

being subject to different laws; and on the soul. In the passage before 

from being altogether under a differ- us, Paul says that it was one of the 

ent administration. There is more distinct characteristics of Christians 

difference between them than there is that the} 7 looked for the coming of the 

between the subjects of two earthly Saviour from heaven. They believed 

governments. Com p. Notes on Eph. that he would return. They antici- 

ii. 6, 19. ^ From whence also we look for pated that important effects would 
the Saviour. From heaven. That is, follow to them from his second corn- 
it is one #f the characteristics of the ing. So we should look. There may 
Christian that he believes that the be, indeed, a difference of opinion 
Lord Jesus will return from heaven, about the time when he will come, 
and that he looks and waits for it. and about the question whether he 
Other men do not believe this (2 Pet. will come to reign personally on the 

iii. 4), but the Christian confidently earth; but the fact that Christ will re- 
expects it. His Saviour has been turn to our world is common ground 
taken away from the earth, and is now on which all Christians may meet, and 
in heaven, but it is a great and staud- \ is a fact which should be allowed to 
ing article of his faith that that same exert its full influence on the heart. 
Saviour will again come, and take the It is a glorious truth; for what a sad 
believer to himself. See Notes on I world would this be, and what a sad 
John xiv. 2, 3. 1 Thess. iv. 14. This prospect would be before the Chris- 
was the firm belief of the early Chris- \ tian, if the Saviour were never to come 
tiaus, and this expectation with them , to raise his people from their graves, 
was allowed to exert a constant influ- \ and to gather his redeemed to himself! 
ence on their hearts and lives. It led i The fact that he will come is identified 
them (1.) to desire to be prepared for j with all our hopes. It is fitted to 
his coming; (2.) to feel that earthly j cheer us in trial; to guard us in temp- 
affairs are of little importance, as the j tation; td make us dead to the world; 
scene here is soon to close; (3.) to I to lead us to keep the eye turned to- 
live above the world, and in the de- I ward heaven. 

sire of the appearing of the Lord Je- I 21. Who shall change our vile body. 
sus. This was one of the elementary j The original words which are here 
doctrines of their faith, and one of the j rendered "vile body" properly mean 
means of producing deadness to the; "the body of humiliation;" that is, 
world among them; and among the j our humble body. It refers to the body 
early Christians there was, perhaps, j in its present state, as subject to in- 
no doctrine that was more the object firmities, disease, and death. It is dif- 
of firm belief, and the ground of more j ferent far from what it was when man 
delightful contemplation, than that was created, and from what it will be 
their ascended Master would return, j in the future world. The idea of vile- 
In regard to the certainty of their be- ness in the sense of being base, mean, 
lief on this point, and the effect which | despicable, is not in the original 
it had on their minds, see the follow- I phrase. It is vi^ness only, or hum- 
ing texts of the New Testament, j bleness, as being adapted to a low 
Matthew xxiv. 42,44. Luke xii. 37. coi^ition of being, and as contrasted 
John xiv. 3. Acts i. 11. 1 Cor. iv. 5. wfm the glorified body in heaven. 
Col. iii. 4. 1 Thess. ii. 19. 2 Thess. ii. Paul says that it is One of the objects 
1. Heb. x. 37. James v. 7, 8. 1 John } of the Christian hope and expectation 
iii. 2. Rev. xxii. 7, 12, 20. It may be I that this body, so subject to infirmi- 
asked, with great force, whether j ties and sicknesses, will be changed. 
Christians in general have now any j *[\ That it may be fashioned like unto his 
such expectation of the second up- glorious body. Gr., u The body of his 
pearing of the Lord Jesus, or whether glory;" that is, the body which he has 
they have not fallen into the danger- in his glorified state. What change 
ous error of prevailing unbelief, so the body of the Redeemer underwent 
that the expectation of his coming is when he ascended to heaven we arc 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



197 



not informed, nor do we know what is 
the nature, size, appearance, or form 
of the body which he now has. It is 
certain that it is adapted to the glori- 
ous world where he dwells ; that it 
has none of the infirmities to which 
it was liable when here; that it is not 
subject, as here, to pain or death ; that 
it is not sustained in the same man- 
ner. The body of Christ in heaven is 
of the same nature as the bodies of 
the saints will be in the resurrection, 
and which the apostle calls "spiritual 
bodies" (see Notes on 1 Cor. xv. 44); 
and it is doubtless accompanied with 
all the circumstances of splendor and 
glory which are appropriate to the 
Son of God. The idea here is, that it 
is the object of the desire and antici- 
pation to be made just like Christ in all 
things. He desires to resemble him 
in moral character here, and to be like 
him in heaven. Nothing else will sat- 
isfy him but such conformity to the 
Son of God ; and when he shall resem- 
ble him in all things, the wishes of his 
soul will all be met and fulfilled, ! Ac- 
cording to the working, etc. That is, 
such a change demands the exertion 
of vast power. No creature can do it. 
But there is One who has power in- 
trusted to him over all things, and he 
can effect this great transformation in 
the bodies of men. Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 
26, 27. He can mould the mind and 
the heart to conformity to his own 
image, and thus also he can transform 
the body so that it shall resemble his. 
Every thing he can make subject to 
his will. (See Notes on Matt, xxviii. 
18. John xvii. 2.) What a contrast 
between our bodies here— frail, feeble, 
subject to sickness, decay, and corrup- 
tion — and the body as it will T>e in 
heaven ! What a glorious prospect 
awaits the weak and dying believer, 
in the future world ! 

REMARKS. 

1. It is the privilege of the Chris- 
tian to rejoice. Ver. 1. He has more 
sources of real joy than any other per- 
sons. See 1 Thess. v. 16. He has a 
Saviour in whom he may always find 
peace; a God whose character he can 
always contemplate with pleasure; a 
heaven to look forward to where there 
is nothing but happiness ; a Bible that 
is full of precious promises; and, at 
all times, the opportunity of prayer, 
in which he may roll all his sorrows 
on the arms of an unchanging friend. 



| If there is any one on earth who ought 
j to be happy, it is the Christian. 

2. The Christian should so live as to 
I leave on others the impression that 

religion produces happiness. In our in- 
tercourse with our friends, we should 
show them that" religion does not 
cause sadness or gloom, sourness or 
misanthropy, but that it produces 
cheerfulness, contentment, and peace. 
I This may be shown by the counte- 
nance, and by the whole demeanor — 
by a calm brow, and a benignant eye, 
and by a cheerful aspect. The inter- 
nal peace of the soul should be evinced 
by every proper external expression. 
A Christian may thus be always doing- 
good; for he is always doing good 
who leaves the impression on others 
that religion makes its possessors 
happy. 

3. The nature of religion is almost 
always mistaken by the world. They 
suppose that it makes its possessors 
melancholy and sad. The reason is, 
not that they are told so by those who 
are religious, and not that even they 
can see any thing in religion to pro- 
duce misery, but because they have 
fixed their affections on certain things 
which they suppose to be essential to 
happiness, and which they suppose re- 
ligion would require them to give up 
without substituting "any thing in 
their place. But never was there a 
greater mistake. Let such persons go 
and ask Christians, and they will ob- 
tain but one answer from them. It is, 
that they never knew what true hap- 
jfiness was till they found it in the 
Saviour. This question may be pro- 
posed to a Christian of any denomina- 
tion, or in any land, and the answer 
will be uniformly the same. Why is 
it, then, that the mass of persons re- 
gard religion as adapted only to make 
them unhappy ? Why will they not 
take the testimony of their friends in 
the case, and believe those whom they 
would believe on any other subject, 
when they declare that it is only true 
religion that ever gives them solid 
peace ? 

4. We can not depend on any exter- 
nal advantages of birth or blood for 
salvation. Vs. 4, 5, 0. Few or no per- 
sons have as much in this respect to 
rely on as Paul had. Indeed, if salva- 
tion were to be obtained at all by ex- 
ternal advantages, it is impossible to 
conceive that more could have been 
united in one case than there was iu 



198 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



his. He had not only the advantage 
of having been bom a Hebrew ; of hav- 
ing been early trained in the Jewish 
religion; of being instructed in the 
ablest manner, but also the advantage 
of entire blamelessness in his moral 
deportment. He had showed in every 
way possible that he was heartily at- 
tached to the religion of his fathers, 
and he began life with a zeal in the 
cause which seemed to justify the 
warmest expectations of his friends. 
But all this was renounced when he 
came to understand the true method 
of salvation, and saw the better way 
by which eternal life is to be obtained. 
And if Paul could not depend on these 
things, we can not safely do it. It will 
not save us that^we have been born in 
the Church ; that we have had pious 
parents ; that we were early baptized 
and consecrated to God; that we were 
trained in the Sabbath-school. Nor 
will it save us that we attend regular- 
ly on the place of worship, or that we 
are amiable, correct, honest, and up- 
right in our lives. We can no more 
depend on these things than Saul of 
Tarsus could, and if all his eminent 
advantages failed to give him a solid 
ground of hope, our advantages will 
be equally vain in regard to our salva- 
tion. It almost seems as if God de- 
signed, in the case of Saul of Tarsus, 
that there should be one instance 
where every possible external advan- 
tage for salvation should be found, 
and there should be every thing that 
men ever could rely on in moral char^ 
acter, in order to show that no such 
things could be sufficient to save the 
soul. All these may exist, and yet 
there may not be a particle of love to 
God, and the heart may be full of self- 
ishness, pride, and ambition, as it was 
in his case. 

5. Religion demands humility. Vs. 
7, 8. It requires us to renounce all 
dependence on our own merits, and 
to rely simply on the merits of an- 
other—the Lord Jesus Christ. If we 
are ever saved, we must be brought to 
esteem all the advantages which birth, 
and blood, and our own righteousness 
can bestow, as worthless, and even 
vile, in the matter of justification. We 
shall not despise these things in them- 
selves, nor shall we consider that vice 
is as desirable as virtue, or that a bad 
temper is to be sought rather than an 
amiable disposition, or that dishon- 
esty is as commendable as honesty ; 



! but we shall feel that in comparison 
I with the merits of the Redeemer all 
these are worthless. But the mind is 
I not brought to this condition without 
j great humiliation. Nothing but the 
I power of God can bring a proud, and 
| haughty, and self-righteous sinner to 
the state where he is willing to re- 
nounce all dependence on his own 
! merits, and to be saved in the same 
way as the vilest of the species. 

6. Let us seek to obtain an interest 
in the righteousness of the Redeemer. 
Ver. 9. Our own righteousness can 
not save us. But in him there is 
enough. There is all that we want ; 
and if we have that righteousness 
which is by faith, we have all that is 
needful to render us accepted with 
God, and to prepare us for heaven. 
When there is such a way of salvation 
—so easy, so free, so glorious, so am- 
ple for all, how unwise is any one to 
rest on his own works, and to expect 
to be saved by what he has done ! The 
highest honor of man is to be saved 
by the merits of the Son of God, and 
he has reached the most elevated rank 
in the human condition who has the 
most certain hope of salvation through 
him. 

7. There is enough to be gained to 
excite us to the utmost diligence and 
effort in the Christian life. Ver. 10-14. 
If men can be excited to effort by the 
prospect of an earthly crown in a race 
or a game, how much more should we 
be urged forward by the prospect of 

i the eternal prize ! To seek to know 
; the Redeemer; to be raised up from 
the degradation of sin ; to have part 
in the resurrection of the just; to ob- 
tain yie prize of the high calling in 
heaven; to be made eveiiastiugly hap- 
py and glorious — what object was ever 
placed before the mind like this? 
What ardor should it excite that we 
may gain it ! Surely the hope of ob- 
taining such a prize as is before the 
Christian should call. forth all our 
! powers. The struggle will not be 
long. The race will soon be won. 
The victory will be glorious ; the de- 
feat would be overwhelming and aw- 
ful. No one need fear that he can put 
forth too much effort to obtain the 
prize. It is worth every exertion, and 
we should never relax our efforts, or 
give over in despair. 

8. Let us, like Paul, ever cherish a 
humble sense of our attainments in 
religion. Vs. 12, 13. If Paul had not 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



199 



reached the point of perfection, it is 
not to be presumed that we have; if 
he could not say that he had "at- 
tained," it is presumption in us to 
suppose that we have ; if he had occa- 
sion for humiliation, we have more ; 
if he felt that he was far short of the 
object which he sought, and was 
pressed down with the consciousness 
of imperfection, such a feeling be- 
comes us also. Yet let us not sink 
down in despondency and inaction. 
Like him, let us strain every nerve 
that we may overcome our imperfec- 
tions and win the prize. That prize 
is before us. It is glorious. We may 
be sensible that we, as yet, have not 
reached it, but if we will strive to ob- 
tain it, it will soon be certainly ours. 
We may feel that we are far distant 
from it now in the degree of our at- 
tainments, but we are not far from it 
in fact. It will be but a short period 
before the Christian will lay hold on 
that immortal crown, and before his 
brow will be encircled with the dia- 
dem of glory. For the race of life, 
whether we win or lose, is soon run ; 
and when a Christian begins a day, he 
knows not but he may end it in heav- 
en ; when he lies down on his bed at 
night, he knows not but he may awake 
with the "prize" in his hand, and with 
the diadem of glory sparkling on his 
brow. 

9. Our thoughts should be much in 
heaven. Ver. 20. Our home is there; 
our citizenship is there. Here we are 
strangers and pilgrims. We are away 
from home, in a cold and unfriendly 
world. Our great interests are in the 
skies; our eternal dwelling is to be 
there; our best friends are already 
there. There is our glorious Saviour, 
with a body adapted to those pure 
abodes, and there are many whom we 
have loved on earth already with him. 
They are happy now, and we should 
not love them less because they are in 
heaven. Since, therefore, our great in- 
terests are there, and our best friends 
are there, and since we ourselves are 
citizens of that heavenly world, our 
best affections should be there. 

10. We look for the Saviour. Vs. 20, 
21. He will return to our world. He 
will change our vile bodies, and make 
them like his own glorious body. And 
since this is so, let us (1.) bear with 
patience the trial* and infirmities to 
which our bodies here are subject. 
These trials will be short, and we may 



w r ell bear them for a few days, know- 
ing that soon all pain will cease, and 
that all that is humiliating in the body 
will be exchanged for glory. (2.) Let 
us not think too highly or too much 
of our bodies bere. They may be now 
beautiful and comely, but they are 
"vile" and degraded compared with 
what they will soon be. They are sub- 
ject to infirmity, and to numerous 
pains and sicknesses. Soon the most 
beautiful body may become loathsome 
to our best friends. Soon, too offen- 
sive to be looked upon, it will be hid- 
den in the grave. Why, then, should 
we seek to pamper and adorn these 
mortal frames ? Why live only to dec- 
orate them ? Why idolize a mass of 
moulded and animated clay ? Yet (8. ) 
let us learn to honor the body in a 
true sense. It is soon to be changed. 
It will be made like the glorified body 
of Christ. Yes, this frail, diseased, cor- 
ruptible, and humbled body; this 
body, that is soon to be laid in the 
grave, and to return to the dust, is 
soon to put on a new form, and to be 
clothed with immortality. It will be 
what the body of Christ now is— glo- 
rious and immortal. What a change ! 
Christian, go and look on the creep- 
ing caterpillar, and see it changed to 
the gay and gilded butterfly— yester- 
day, a crawling and offensive worm ; 
to-day, with gaudy colors, an inhab- 
itant of the air, and a dweller amid 
flowers, and see an image of what thy 
body shall be, and of the mighty trans- 
formation which thou wilt soon un- 
dergo. See the change from the cold 
death of winter to the fragrance and 
life of spring, and behold an image of 
the change winch thou thyself wilt 
ere long experience, and a jwoof that 
some such change awaits thee. 

"Shall spring the faded world revive? 
Shall waning moons their light renew ? 
Again shall setting sans ascend 
And chase the darkness from our view ? 

"Shall life revisit dying worms, 

And spread the joyful insect's wing? 
And, oh, shall man awake no more 
To see thy face, thy name to sing ? 
"Faith sees the bright, eternal doors 
Unfold to make her children way ; 
They shall be clothed with endless life, 
And shine in everlasting day." 

Dwioiit. 

11. Let us look for the coming of 
the Lord. Ver. 21. All that we hope 
for depends on his reappearing. Our 
day of triumph, and of the fullness of 



200 



PHILIPPIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THEREFORE, my brethren 
clearly beloved and longed 



for, my joy and crown, so stand 
fast in the Lord, my dearly be- 
loved. 



our joy, is to be when he shall return. 
Then we shall be raised from the 
grave ; then our vile bodies shall be 
changed; then we shall be acknowl- 
edged as his friends ; then we shall go 
to be forever with him. The earth is 
not our home, nor is the grave to be 
our everlasting bed of rest. Our home 
is heaven— and the Saviour will come, 
that he may raise us up to that blessed 
abode. And who knows when he may 
appear? He himself commanded us 
to be ready, for he said he would come 
at an hour when we think not. We 
should so desire his coming that the 
hours- of his delay would seem to be 
heavy and long, and should so live 
that we can breathe forth with sin- 
cerity, at all times, the fervent prayer 
of the beloved disciple, "Come, Lord 
Jesus, come QuiCExr." Rev. xxii. 20. 

"My faith shall triumph o'er the grave, 

And trample on the tombs ; 
My Jesus, my Redeemer, lives, 

My God, my Saviour, comes ; 
Ere long I know he shall appear, 

In power and glory great, 
And death, the last of all his foes, 

Lie vanquish'd at his feet. 

"Then, though the worms my flesh de- 
vour, 

And make my form their prey, 
I know I shall arise with power 

On the last judgment day — 
When God shall stand upon the earth, 

Him then mine eyes shall see ; 
My flesh shall feel a second birth, 

And ever with him he. 

"Then his own hand shall wipe the tears 
From every weeping eye, 
And pains, and groans, and griefs, and 
fears 

Shall cease eternally. 
How long, dear Saviour ! oh, how long 

Shall this bright hour delay ? 
Fly swift around, ye wheels of lime, 

And bring the welcome day." 

Watts. 

CHAPTER IV. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter comprises the follow- 
ing points : 

I. Exhortations. 

II. Solemn commands to live as be- 
came Christians. 

III. The expression of a grateful ac- 
knowledgment of the favors which he 
had received from them ; and, 

IV. The customary salutations. 



I. Exhortations. Verse 1-3. (l.)He 
exhorts them to stand fast in the 
Lord. Ver. 1. (2.) He entreats Eu- 
odias and Syntyche, who appear to 
have been alienated from each other, 
to be reconciled. Ver. 2. (3.) He en- 
treats one whom he calls a "true yoke- 
fellow" to render assistance to those 
women who had labored with him in 
the Gospel. Ver. 3. 

II. Commands. Ver. 4-9. He com- 
mands them to rejoice in the Lord al- 
ways, ver. 4; to let their moderation 
be known to all, verse 5; to have no 
anxiety about worldly matters, but in 
all their necessities to go to God, vs. 
6, 7; and to do whatever is honest, 
just, pure, lovely, and of good report. 
Vs. 8, 9. 

III. A grateful acknowledgment of their 
kindness. Verse 10-19. He says that 
their care of him had been manifested 
again in such a way as to be highly 
grateful to his feelings. Ver. 10. He 
did not indeed say that he had suffer- 
ed, for he had learned, in whatever 
state he was, to be content (verse 11- 
13); but they had shown a proper 
spirit in endeavoring to relieve his 
necessities, ver. 14. "He remarks that 
their Church was the only one that 
had aided him when he was in Mace- 
donia, and that they had sent to him 
more than once when he was in Thes- 
salonica, and says that their favor now 
was an offering acceptable to God, 
who would abundantly reward them. 
Ver. 15-20. 

IV. Salutations. Ver. 21-23. 

1. Therefore, my brethren dearly be- 
loved and)ongedfor. Doddridge unites 
this verse with the previous chapter, 
and supposes that it is the proper 
close of the solemn statement which 
the apostle makes there. The word 
therefore— & <tt£ — has undoubted refer- 
ence to the remarks made there; and 
the meaning is, that in view of the fact 
that there were many professed Chris- 
tians who were not sincere; that the 
"citizenship" of all true Christians 
is in heaven, and that all true Chris- 
tians look for the coming of the Lord 
Jesus, who will make them like to 
himself, the apostle*exhorts them to 
stand fast in the Lord. The accumu- 
lation of epithets of endearment in 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



201 



2 I beseech Euoclias, and beseech 
Syntyche, that they be of the same 
mind in the Lord. 

this verse shows his tender regard for 
them, and is expressive of his earnest 
solicitude for their welfare, and his 
deep conviction of their danger. The 
terra " longed /or" is expressive of 
strong affection. See ch. i. 8, and ii. 
26. if My joy. The source of my joy. 
He rejoiced' in the fact that they had 
been converted under him, and in their 
holy walk and their friendship. Our 
chief joy is in our friends, and the 
chief happiness of a minister of the 
Gospel is in the pure lives of those to 
whom he ministers. See 3 John 4. 
\And crown. Comp. 1 Thess. ii. 19. 
The word crown means a circlet, chap- 
let, or diadem, (1) as the emblem of 
royal dignity — the symbol of office; 
(2) as the prize conferred on victors 
in the public games, 1 Cor. ix. 25, and 
hence as an emblem of the rewards of 
a future life, 2 Tim. iv. 8; James i. 12; 
1 Peter v. 4 ; (3) any thing that is an 
ornament or honor, as one glories in a 
crown. Compare Pro v. xii. 4, " A vir- 
tuous woman is a crown to her hus- 
band;" xiv. 24, "The crown of the 
wise is their riches;" xvi. 31, "The 
hoary head is a crown of glory;" xvii. 
6, " Children's children are the crown 
of old men." The idea here is, that 
the Church at Philippi was that in 
which the apostle gloried. He re- 
garded it as a high honor to have been 
the means of founding such a church, 
and he looked upon it with the same 
interest with which a monarch looks 
upon the diadem which he wears. 

standfast in the Lord. In the 
service of the Lord, and in the strength 
which he imparts. See Notes on Eph. 
vi. 13, 14. 

2. 1 beseech Euodias, and beseech Syn- 
tyche. These are doubtless the names 
of females. The name Syntyche is 
sometimes the name of a man; but, 
if these persons are referred to in ver. 
3, tli ere can be no doubt that they 
were females. Nothing more is known 
of them than is here mentioned. It 
has been commonly supposed that 
they were deaconesses, who preached 
the Gospel to those of their own sex ; 
but there is no certain evidence of 
this. All that is known is that there 
•was some disagreement between them, 
and the apostle entreats them to be 
reconciled to each other. *\ That the// 
I 2 



3 And I entreat thee also, true 
yoke-fellow, help those women 
which laboured with me in the 

be of the same mind. That they be 
united, or reconciled. Whether the 
difference related to doctrine, or to 
something else, we can not determine 
from this phrase. The language is 
such as would properly relate to any 
difference. %Iu the Lord. In their 
Christian walk and plans. They were 
doubtless professing Christians, and 
the apostle exhorts them to make the 
Lord the great object of their affec- 
tions, and, in their regard for him, to 
bury all their petty differences and 
animosities. 

3. And I entreat thee also, true yoke- 
fellow. It is not known to whom the 
apostle refers here. No name is men- 
tioned, and conjecture is useless. All 
that is known is that it was some one 
whom Paul regarded as associated 
with himself in labor, and one who 
was so prominent at Philippi that it 
would be understood who was refer- 
red to, without more particularly men- 
tioning him. The presumption, there- 
fore, is, that it was one of the minis- 
ters, or "bishops" (see Notes on ch. 
i. 1) of Philippi, who had been partic- 
ularly associated with Paul when he 
was there. The epistle was addressed 
to the " Church with the bishops and 
deacons" (chap. i. 1), and the fact that 
this one had been particularly associ- 
ated with Paul would serve to desig- 
nate him with sufficient particularity. 
Whether he was related to tlf^wom- 
en referred to is wholly unknown. 
Doddridge supposes that he might be 
the husband of one of these women ; 
but of that there is no evidence. The 
term ' ' yoke-fellow' ' — auX^uy o q — som e 
have understood as a proper name 
(Syzygus); but the proper import of 
the word is yoke-fellow, and there is no 
reason to believe that it is used here 
to denote a proper name. If it had 
been, it is probable that some other 
word than that here used and ren- 
dered true — yvnaios — would have been 
employed. The word true — yvtjaio<; — 
means that he was sincere, faithful, 
worthy of confidence. Paul had had 
evidence of his sincerity and fidelity ; 
and he was a proper person, therefore, 
to whom to intrust a delicate and im- 
portant business. H Help those women. 
The common opinion is, that the wom- 
en here referred to were Euodias and 



202 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



gospel, with Clement also, and with 
other ray fellow-labourers, whose 
names are in the book of life. 



4 Rejoice a in the Lord always; 
and again I say, Rejoice. 

5 Let your moderation 6 be known 



b 1 Cor. 9. 25. 



Syntyche, and that the office which 
the friend of Paul was asked to per- 
form was to secure a reconciliation 
between them. There is, however, no 
certain evidence of this. The refer- 
ence seems rather to be to influential 
females who had rendered important 
assistance to Paul when he was there. 
The kind of "help" which was to be 
imparted was probably by counsel and 
friendly co-operation in the duties 
which they were called to perform. 
There is no evidence that it refers to 
pecuniary aid ; and, had it referred to 
a reconciliation of those who were at 
variance, it is probable that some oth- 
er word would have been used than 
that here rendered help—crvWafxfiavov. 
1 Which labored with me in the Gospel. 
As Paul did not permit women to 
preach (see 1 Tim. ii. 12; comp. Notes 
on 1 Cor. x. 5), he must have referred 
here to some other services which 
they had rendered. There were dea- 
conesses in the primitive churches 
(see Notes on Rom. xvi. 1 ; 1 Tim. v. 
9 seq.), to whom was probably intrust- 
ed particularly the care of the female 
members of a Church. In the custom 
which prevailed in the Oriental world, 
of excluding females from the public 
gaze, and of confining them to their 
houses, it would not be practicable for 
the apostles to have access to them. 
The eflfcy of instructing and exporting 
them was then probably intrusted 
chiefly to pious females, and in this 
way important aid would be rendered 
in the Gospel. Paul could regard such 
as "laboring with him," though they 
were not engaged in preaching. If With 
Clement also. That is, they were asso- 
ciated with Clement, and with the oth- 
er fellow-laborers of Paul, in aiding 
him in the Gospel. Clement was 
doubtless some one who was well 
known among them; and the apostle 
felt that, by associating them with 
him, as having been real helpers in the 
Gospel, their claim to respectful at- 
tention would be better appreciated. 
Who Clement was is unknown. Most 
of the ancients say it was Clement of 
Rome, one of the primitive fathers: 
but there is no evidence of this. The 
name Clement was common, and there 
Is no improbability in supposing that 



there might have been a preacher of 
this name in the Church at Philippi. 
U Whose names are in the book of life. 
See Notes on Isa. iv. 3. The phrase 
"the book of life," which occurs here 
and in Rev. iii. 5 ; xiii. 8 ; xx. 12, 15 ; 
xxi. 27; xxii. 19, is a Jewish phrase, 
and refers originally to a record or 
catalogue of names, as the roll of an 
army. It then means to be among 
the living, as the name of an individ- 
ual would be erased from a catalogue 
when he was deceased. The word life 
here refers to eternal life; and the 
whole phrase refers to those who w T ere 
enrolled among the true friends of 
God, or who would certainly be saved. 
The use of this phrase here implies 
the belief of Paul that these persons 
were true Christians. Names that are 
written in the book of life will not be 
blotted out. If the hand of God re- 
cords them there, who can obliterate 
them? 

4. Rejoice in the Lord alio ays. T3ee 
Notes on ch. iii. 1. It is the privilege 
of Christians to do this, not at certain 
periods and at distant intervals, but at 
all times they may rejoice that there 
is a God and Saviour; they may re- 
joice in the character, law, promises, 
and government of God; and they 
may rejoice in communion with him. 
The Christian, therefore, may be, and 
should be, always a happy man. If 
every thing else changes, yet the Lord 
does not change; if the sources of all 
other joy are dried up, yet this is not ; 
and there is not a moment of a Chris- 
tian's life in which he may not find 
joy in the character, law, and prom- 
ises of God. 

5. Let your moderation be known unto 
all men. That is, let it be such that 
others may see it. This does not mean 
that they were to make an ostenta- 
tious display of it, but that it should 
be such a characteristic of their lives 
that it would be constantly visible to 
others. The word moderation — iirui- 
Kes — refers to restraint on the pas- 
sions, to general soberness of living, 
to being free from all excesses. The 
word properly means that which is fit 
or suitable, and then propriety, gentle- 
ness, mildness. They were to indulge 
in no excess of passion, or dress, or 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



203 



unto all men: The Lord" is at 
hand. 

6 Be careful b for nothing ; but in 
every thing by prayer and suppli- 

a Rev. 22. 7, 20. b Matt. 6. 25. 1 Pet. 5. 7. 

eating, or drinking. They were to 
govern their appetites, restrain their 
temper, and to be examples of what 
was proper for men in view of the ex- 
pectation that the Lord would soon 
appear. U The Lord is at hand. Is near. 
See Notes on eh. hi. 20; 1 Cor.^vi. 22. 
This has the appearance of being a 
phrase in common. use among the 
early Christians, and as being designed 
to keep before their minds a lively im- 
pression of an event which ought, by 
its anticipation, to produce an impor- 
tant effect. Whether, by this phrase, 
they commonly understood the com- 
ing of the Lord to destroy Jerusalem, 
or to remove them by death, or to 
judge the world, or to reign person- 
ally on the earth, it is impossible now 
to determine, and is not very material 
to a proper understanding of its use 
here. The idea is, that the expecta- 
tion that the Lord Jesus will " come" 
ought to be allowed to produce mod- 
eration in our passions, in our manner 
of living, in our expectations of what 
this world can furnish, and in our de- 
sires of earthly good. On him who 
feels that he is soon to die and to 
stand at the bar of God; on him who 
expects *soon to see the Lord Jesus 
coming in the clouds of heaven, it can 
not fail to have this effect. Men in- 
dulge their passions— are extravagant 
in their plans of life, and in their ex- 
pectations of earthly good for them- 
selves and for their families, because 
they have no realizing sense of the 
truth that there is before them a vast 
eternity. He that has a lively expec- 
tation that heaven will soon be his, 
will form very moderate expectations 
of what this world can furnish. 

6. Be careful for nothing. That is, 
be not anxious or solicitous about the 
things of the present life. The word 
here used— /ntpifxvan-E— does not mean 
that we are to exercise no care about 
worldly matters — no care to preserve 
our property, or to provide for our 
families (comp. 1 Tim. v. 8); but that 
there is to be such confidence in God 
as to free the mind from anxiety, and 
such a sense of dependence on him as 
to keep it calm. See the subject ex- 
plained in the Notes on Matt. vi. 25. 



cation, with thanksgiving, let your 
request be made known unto God. 

7 And the peace c of God, which* 
passeth all understanding, shall 

c Isa. 26. 3. Jno. 14. 27. 

^But in every thing. "Every thing in 
reference to the supply of your wants 
and the wants of your families ; every 
thing in respect to afflictions, embar- 
rassments, and trials; every thing re- 
lating to your spiritual condition. 
There is nothing which pertains to 
body, mind, estate, friends, conflicts, 
losses, trials, hopes, fears, in reference 
to which w r e may not go and spread it 
all out before the Lord. U By prayer 
and supplication. The w r ord rendered 
supplication is a stronger term than 
the former. It is the mode of prayer 
peculiarly which arises from the sense 
of need, or want ; from 6tofxai, to want, 
to need. ^With thanksgiving. Thanks- 
giving connected with prayer. We 
can always find something to be thank- 
ful for, no matter what may be the 
burden of our wants, or the special 
subject of our petitions. When we 
pray for the supply of our wants, we 
may be thankful for that kind Provi- 
dence which has hitherto befriended 
us ; when we pray for restoration from 
sickness, we may be thankful for the 
health which we have hitherto enjoy- 
ed, and for God's merciful interposi- 
tion in the former days of trial, and 
for his goodness in now sparing our 
lives; when we pray that our children 
and friends may be preserved from 
danger and death, we may remember 
how often God has interposed to save 
them ; when, oppressed with a sense 
of sin, w r e pray for pardon, we have 
abundant cause of thanksgiving that 
there is a glorious way by which we 
may be saved. The greatest sufferer 
that lives in this world, since he has 
the olfer of heaven before him, has 
cause of gratitude. II Let your request 
be made known unto God. Not to give 
him information, but to express to him 
your wants. God needs not to be in- 
formed of our necessities, but he re- 
quires that we come and express them 
to him. Compare Ezekiel xxxvi. 37: 
"Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet 
for this be inquired of by the house 
of Israel to do it for them." 

7. And the peace of God, The peace 
which God gives. The peace here 
particularly referred to is that which 
is felt when we have no anxious care 



204 



PHILIPPIAXS. 



[A.D.64. 



keep your hearts and minds 
through Christ Jesus. 
• 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever 



a Eph.4. 25. 



1 or, venerable. 



things are true, a whatsoever things 
are 1 honest, b whatsoever things 
are just, c whatsoever things are 

b 2 Cor. 8. 21. 



c Deut. 16. 20. Isa.26.7. 



about the supply of our wants, and 
when we go confidently and commit 
every thing into the hands of God. 
" Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace 
whose mind is stayed on thee." Isa. 
xxvi. 3. See Notes on John xiv. 27. 
H Which passeth all understanding. 
That is, which surpasses all that men 
have conceived or imagined. The ex- 
pression is one that denotes that the 
peace imparted is of the highest pos- 
sible kind. The apostle Paul fre- 
quently uses terms which have some- 
what of a hyperbolical cast (see Notes 
on Eph. iii. 19; comp. John xxi. 25), 
and the language here is that which 
one would use who designed to speak 
of that which is of the highest order. 
The Christian, committing his way to 
God, and feeling that he will order all 
things aright, has a peace which is no- 
where else known. Nothing else will 
furnish it but religion. No confidence 
that a man can have in his own pow- 
ers ; no reliance which he can repose 
on his own plans, or on the promises 
or fidelity of his fellow-men, and no 
calculations which he can make on 
the course of events, can impart such 
peace to the soul as simple confidence 
in God. H Shall keep your hearts and 
minds. That is, shall keep them from 
anxiety and agitation. The idea is, 
that by thus making our requests 
known to God, and going to him in 
view of our trials and wants, the mind 
will be preserved from distressing 
anxiety. The way to find peace, and 
to have the heart kept from trouble, 
is thus to go and spread out all before 
the Lord. Comp. Isa. xxvi. 3, 4, 20; 
xxxvii. 1-7. The word here rendered 
shall keep is a military term, and means 
that the miud would be guarded as a 
camp or castle is. It would be pre- 
served from the intrusion of anxious 
fears and alarms. U Through Christ 
Jesus. By his agency or intervention. 
It is only in him that the mind can be 
preserved in peace. It is not by mere 
confidence in God, or by mere prayer, 
but it is by confidence in God as he is 
revealed through the Redeemer, and 
by faith in him. Paul never lost sight 
of the truth that all the security and 
happiness of a believer are to be traced 
to the Saviour. 



8. Finally, brethren. As for what 
remains — to Xolttov — or as a final 
counsel or exhortation. 1f Whatsoever 
things are true. In this exhortation 
I the apostle assumes that there are 
I certain things admitted to be true, 
land pure, and good in the world, 
| wmich laave not been directly revealed, 
or which are commonly regarded as 
I such by the men of the world, and 
| his object is to show them that such 
things ought to be manifested in the 
lives of Christians always. Every 
thing that is honest and just towards 
God and towards men is to be prac- 
, ticed by them, and they are in all 
: things to be examples of the highest 
| kind of morality. They are not to ex- 
; hibit partial virtues ; not to perform 
I one set of duties to the neglect or ex- 
| elusion of others ; not to be faithful 
! in their duties to God, and to neglect 
their duty to men ; not to be punctual 
in their religious rites, and neglectful 
of the common laws of morality ; but 
they are to do every thing that cau be 
regarded as the fair subject of com- 
| mendation, and that is implied in the 
highest moral character. The word 
true refers here to every thing that is 
the reverse of falsehood. They are to 
be true to their engagements; true 
to their promises ; true in their state- 
ments; and true in their friendships. 
They are to maintain the truth about 
God; about eternity; about the judg- 
ment ; and about every man's charac- 
ter. Truth is a representation of 
things as they are ; and believers are 
constantly to live under the correct 
! impression of objects. A man who is 
I false to his engagements, or false in 
his statements and promises, is one 
who will always disgrace religion. 
^[ Whatsoever things are honest — crsfxva. 
Properly, ven er able, r ever end ; then hon- 
orable, reputable. The word was orig- 
inally used in relation to the gods, and 
to the things that pertained to them, 
as bein^ worthy of hoifor or venera- 
tion.— Passow. As applied to men, it 
commonly means grave, dignified; 
worthy of veneration or regard. In 
the New Testament it is rendered 
grave in 1 Tim. iii. 8, 11, and Titus ii. 2, 
the only places where the word oc- 
curs except this. The noun (o-Euyo-njs) 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



205 



pure," whatsoever tilings are love- 1 if there be any praise, 6 think on 
ly, 6 whatsoever things are of good these things. 

report; 0 if there be any virtue,* and 9 Those things which ye have 

a James 3. 17. lJno.3.3. 61 Cor. c. 13. e Rom. 13.3. 

c Col. 4. 5. Heb. 11.2. d 2 Pet. 1 . 3, 4. 



is rendered honesty in 1 Tim. ii. 2, and 
gravity in 1 Tim. iii. 4, and Tit. ii. 7. It 
occurs nowhere else in the New Tes- 
tament. The word, therefore, does 
not express precisely what the word 
honest does with us, as confined to 
dealings or business transactions, but 
rather has reference to what is regard- 
ed as worthy of reputation or honor; 
what there is in the customs of socie- 
ty, in the respect due to age and rank, 
and in the intercourse of the world, 
that deserves respect or esteem. It 
includes indeed what is right fn the 
transaction of business, but it em- 
braces also much more^and means 
that the Christian is to show respect 
to all the venerable and proper cus- 
toms of society, when they do not 
violate conscience o ^interfere with 
the law of God. Comp. 1 Tim. iii. 7. 
If Whatsoever things are just. The things 
which are right between man and man. 
A Christian should be just in all his 
dealings. His religion does not ex- 
empt him from the strict laws which 
bind men to the exercise of this vir- 
tue, and there is no way by which a 
professor of religion can do more in- 
jury perhaps than by injustice and 
dishonesty in his dealings. It is to 
be remembered that the men of the 
world, in estimating a man's charac- 
ter, affix much more importance to 
the virtues of justice and honesty than 
they do to regularity in observing the 
ordinances of religion ; and therefore, 
if a Christian would make an impres- 
sion on his fellow-men favorable to 
religion, it is indispensable that he 
manifest uncorrupted integrity in his 
dealings. H Whatsoever things are pure. 
Chaste — in thought, and feeling, and 
in the intercourse between the sexes. 
Comp. Notes on 1 Tim. v. 2. ^ What- 
soever things are lovely. The word here 
used means properly what is dear to 
any one ; then what is pleasing. Here 
it means what is amiable — such a tem- 
per of mind that one can love it; or 
sue!) as to be agreeable to others. A 
Christian should not be sour, crabbed, 
and irritable in his temper; for noth- 
ing almost tends so much to injure 
the cause of religion as a temper al- 
ways chafed, a brow morose and 



i stern, an eye that is severe and un- 
! kind, and a disposition to find fault 
j with every thing. And yet it is to be 
regretted that there are many persons 
who make no pretensions to piety 
who far surpass man} r professors of 
religion in the virtue here commend- 
ed. A sour and crabbed temper in a 
professor of religion will undo all the 
good that he attempts to do. *fj What- 
soever things are of good report. That 
is, whatsoever is truly reputable in the 
world at large. There are actions 
which all men agree in commending, 
and which in all ages and countries 
are regarded as virtues. Courtesy, ur- 
banity, kindness, respect for parents, 
purity between brothers and sisters, 
are among those virtues, and the 
Christian should be a pattern and an 
example in them all. His usefulness 
depends much more on the cultiva- 
tion of these virtues than is common- 
ly supposed. ^\If there be any virtue. 
If there is any thing truly virtuous. 
Paul did not suppose that he had given 
a full catalogue of the virtues w T hich 
he would have cultivated. He there- 
fore adds, that if there is any thing- 
else that has the nature of true virtue 
in it, they should be careful to culti- 
vate that also. The Christian should 
be a pattern and example of every vir- 
tue. ^And if there be any praise. Any 
thing worthy of praise, or that ought 
to be praised. H Think on these things. 
Let them be the object of your care- 
ful attention and study, so as to prac- 
tice them. Think what they are; 
think on the obligation to observe 
them; think on the influence which 
they would have on the world around 
you. 

9. Those things which ye have both 
learned, and received, and heard, and 
seen in me, do. That is, what you 
have witnessed in me, what you have 
learned of me, and what you have 
heard about me, practice yourselves. 
Paul refers them to ii is uniform con- 
duct—to all that they had seen, and 
known, and heard of him, as that which 
it was proper for them to imitate. 
The same thing, substantially, he 
urges in ch. iii. 17. See Notes on that 
verse. It could have been only the 



206 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



both learned, and received, and 
heard, and seen in me, do; and 
the God a of peace shall be with 
you. 

10 But I rejoiced in the Lo.rd 

a Heb. 13. 20. 



greatly, that now at the last your 
care of rne 1 hath flourished again ; 
wherein ye were also careful, but 
ye lacked opportunity. 6 
11 Not that I speak in respect of 



1 or, is revived. 



consciousness of a -pure and upright 
life which would make such counsel 
proper. How few are the men at this 
clay who can urge others to imitate 
all that they have seen in them, and 
learned from them, and heard of them. 
T[ And the God of peace shall be with you. 
The God who gives peace. Compare 
Heb. xiii. 20 ; 1 Thess. v. 23. See also 
Notes on ver. 7. The meaning here is, 
that Paul, by pursuing the course of 
life which he had led, and which he 
here counsels them to follow, had 
found that it had been attended with 
the blessing of the God of peace, and 
he felt the fullest assurance that the 
same blessing would rest on them if 
they imitated his example. The way 
to obtain the blessing of the God of 
peace is to lead a holy life, and to per- 
form with faithfulness all the duties 
which we owe to God and to our fel- 
low-men. 

10. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly. 
The favor which Paul had received, I 
and for which he felt so much grati- j 
tude, had been received of the Philip- 
pians; but he regarded "the Lord" j 
as the source of it, and rejoiced in it 
as the expression of his kindness. The i 
effect was to lead his heart with cheer- j 
fulness and joy up to God. 1[ That now \ 
at the last. After so long a time. The 
reason why he had not before received I 
the favor was not neglect or inatten- 
tion on their part, but the difficulty 
of having communication with him. j 
Tf Your care of me hath flourished again. 
In the margin this is rendered "is re- \ 
vived" and this is the proper meaning 
of the Greek word. It is a word prop- j 
erly applicable to plants or flowers, 
meaning to grow green again ; to flour- 
ish again ; to spring up again. Here j 
the meaning is, that they had been i 
again prospered in their care of him, 
and to Paul it seemed as if their care j 
had sprung up anew. H Wherein ye were ' 
also careful. That is, they were desir- 
ous to render him assistance, and to 
minister to his wants. Paul adds this, | 
lest they should think he was disposed 



to blame them for inattention. *\\But 
ye lacked opportunity. Because there 



were no persons going to Rome from 
Philippi by whom they could send to 
him. The distance was considerable, 
and it is not probable that the inter- 
course between the two places was 
very constant. 

11. Xot that I speak in respect of want. 
Though Paul was doubtless often in 
circumstances of necessity, yet he did 
not make these remarks on that ac- 
count. In his journeys, in his impris-" 
onments, he could not but be at times 
in want, out he had learned to bear all 
this ; and tlfet which most impressed 
Itself on his mind was the interest 
which the Church ought to show in 
the cause of religion, and the evidence 
which it would^hus furnish of attach- 
ment to the cause. As to his own 
personal trials, he had learned to bear 
them so that they did not give him 
great uneasiness. *\\Foi' lhave learned, 
in whatsoever state lam, therewith to be 
content. That is, to have a contented 
mind. Paul says that he had ' ' learned* ' 
this. Probably by nature he had a 
mind as prone to impatience as oth- 
ers, but he had been in circumstances 
fitted to produce a different state of 
feeling. He had had ample experience 
(2 Cor. xi. 26), and, in his life of trials, 
he had acquired invaluable lessons on 
the subject. He had had abundant 
time for reflection, and he had found 
that there was grace enough in the 
Gospel to enable him to bear trials 
with resignation. The considerations 
by which he had been taught this he 
does not state ; but they were proba- 
bly such as the following: that it is 
wrong to murmur at the allotments 
of Providence ; that a spirit of impa- 
tience does no good, remedies no evil, 
and supplies no want ; that God could 
provide for him in a way which he 
could not foresee, and that the Sav- 
iour was able abundantly to sustain 
him. A contented mind is an invalu- 
able blessing, and is one of the fruits 
of religion in the soul. It arises from 
the belief that God is right in all his 
ways. Why should we be impatient, 
restless, discontented ? What evil will 
be remedied by it ? What want sup- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



207 



want ; for I have learned, in what- 
soever state I am, therewith to be 
content. 0 * 

aHeb.13. 5. 

plied? What calamity removed? "He 
that is of a merry heart hath a contin- 
ual feast" (Prov. xv. 15); and one of 
the secrets of happiness is to have a 
mind satisfied with all the allotments 
of Providence. The members of the 
Episcopal Church beautifully pray, ev- 
ery day, "Give us minds always con- 
tented with our present condition." 
No prayer can be offered which will 
enter more deeply into our happiness 
on earth. 

12. 1 know both how to be abased. To 
be in circumstances of want. H And 
I know how to abound. To have an 
abundance, ^requires as much grace 
to keep the neart right in prosperity 
as it does in adversity, and perhaps 
more. Adversity, of itself does some- 
thing to keep the mind in a right state ; 
prosperity does nothing. H Every 
where and in all things. In all my trav- 
els and imprisonments, and in refer- 
ence to every thing that occurs, I learn 
important lessons on these points. 
* % I am instructed. The word here used 
— /x£/xurj/xat — is one that is commonly 
used in relation to mysteries, and de- 
notes properly being instructed in the 
secret doctrines that were taught in 
the ancrent "mysteries."— Passow. In 
those mysteries, it was only the "ini- 
tiated" Avho were made acquainted 
with the lessons that were taught 
there. Paul says that he had been in- 
itiated into the lessons taught by trials 
and by prosperity. The secret and 
important lessons which these schools 
of adversity are fitted to teach, he had 
had an ample opportunity of learning; 
and he had faithfully embraced the 
doctrines thus taught. ^ Both to be 
fall. That is, he had learned to have 
an ample supply of his wants, and yet 
to observe the laws of temperance and 
soberness, and to cherish gratitude for 
the mercies which he had enjojed. 
If And to be hungry. That is, to be in 
circumstances of wa*nt, and yet not to 
murmur or complain. Me had learn- 
ed to bear all this without discontent. 
This was then, as it is now, no easy 
lesson to Learn ; and it is not improp- 
er to suppose that, when Paul says 
that he had " been instructed" in this, 
even he means to say that it was only 
by degrees that he had acquired it. It 



12 1 know both how to be abased, 
and I know how to abound : every 
where^ and in all things, I am in- 



is a lesson which we slowly learn, not 
to murmur at the allotments of Prov- 
idence; not to be envious at the pros- 
perity of others ; not to repine when 
our comforts are removed. There 
may be another idea suggested here. 
The condition of Paul was not always 
the same. He passed through great 
reverses. At one time he had abun- 
dance ; then he was reduced to want ; 
now he was in a state which might 
be regarded as affluent; then he was 
brought down to extreme poverty. 
Yesterday he was poor and hungry ; 
to-day, all his necessities are supplied. 
Now it is irfthese sudden reverses that 
grace is most needed, and in these rap- 
id changes of life that it is most diffi - 
cult to learn the lessons of content- 
ment. Men get accustomed to an 
even tenor of life, no matter what it 
is, and learn to shape their temper 
and their calculations according to it. 
But these lessons of philosophy van- 
ish when they pass suddenly from one 
extreme to another, and find their 
condition in life suddenly changed. 
The garment that was adapted to 
weather of a uniform temperature, 
whether of heat or cold, fails to be fit- 
ted to our wants when these transi- 
tions rapidly succeed each other. 
Such changes are constantly occurring 
in life. God tries his people, not by 
a steady course of prosperity, or by 
long-continued and uniform adversi- 
ty, but by transition from the one to 
the other; and it often happens thai | 
the grace w r hieh would have been suf- 
ficient for either continued prosperity 
or adversity would fail in the transi- 
tion from the one to the other. Hence 
nCw grace is imparted for this new 
form of trial, and new traits of Chris- 
tian character are developed in these 
rapid transitions in life, as some of the 
most beautiful exhibitions of the laws 
of matter are brought out in the tran- 
sitions produced in chemistry. The 
rapid changes from heat to cold, or 
from a solid to a gaseous state, devel- 
op properties before unknown, and 
acquaint us much more intimately 
I with the wonderful works of God. 
The gold err the diamond, unsubjected 
to the action of intense heat, and to 
the changes produced by the powerful 



208 



PHILIPPIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



structed both to be full and to be ' 14 Notwithstanding, ye have well 



hungry, both to abound and to 
sutler need. 

13 1 can do all things through ( 
Christ which strengtheneth me. 

aJno. 15. 5. 2 Cor. 12.9. 



done that ye did communicate 
with my affliction. 

15 Now, ye Philippians, know 
also, that in the beginning of the 



agents brought to bear on them, might 
have continued to shine with steady 
beauty and brilliaucy, but we should 
never have witnessed the peculiar beau- 
ty and brilliancy which may be pro- 
duced in rapid chemical changes. And 
so there is many a beautiful trait of 
character which would never have 
been known by either continued pros- 
perity or adversity.. There might have 
been always, an exhibition of real vir- 
tue and piety, but not that peculiar 
manifestation which is rJroduced in 
the transitions from the one to the 
other. 

13. lean do all things. From the ex- 
perience which Paul had in these va- 
rious circumstances of life, he comes 
here to the general conclusion that he 
could "do all things." He could bear 
any trial, perform any duty, subdue 
any evil propensity, and meet all the 
temptations incident to any condition 
of prosperity or adversity. His own 
experience in the various changes of 
life had warranted him in arriving at 
this conclusion ; and he now express- 
es the firm confidence that nothing 
would be required of him which he 
would not be able to perform. In 
Paul, this declaration was not a vain 
self-reliance, nor was it the mere re- 
sult of his former experience. He 
knew well where the strength was to 
be obtained by which to do all things, 
and on that arm that was able to up- 
hold him he confidently relied. 
^Through Christ which strengtheneth 
me. See Notes on John xv. 5. Of the 
strength which Christ can impart, 
Paul had had abundant experience; 
and now his whole reliance was there. 
It was not in any native ability which 
he had; not in any vigor of body or 
of mind; not in any power which 
there was in his own resolutions ; it 
was in the strength that he derived 
from the Redeemer. By that he was 
enabled to bear cold, fatigue, and hun- 
ger; by that he met temptations and 
persecutions ; and by that he engaged 
in the performance of his arduous du- 
ties. Let us learn, hence, (1.) That 
we need not sink under any trial, for 



there is one who can strengthen us. 
(2.) That we need not yield to tempta- 
tion. There is one who is able to 
make a way for our escape. (3.) That 
we need not be harassed, and vexed, 
and tortured with improper thoughts 
and unholy desires. There is one 
who can enable us to banish such 
thoughts from the mind, and restore 
the right balance to the affections of 
the soul. (4. ) That we need not dread 
what is to come. Trials, temptations, 
poverty, want, perseeu|jon, may await 
us; but we need not sink into de- 
spondency. At every step of life, 
Christ is able to strengthen us, and he 
can bring us triumphantly through. 
What a privilege it is, therefore, to be 
I a Christian — to feel, in the trials of 
j life, that we have one friend, unchang- 
s ing and most mighty, who can always 
help us ! How cheerfully should we 
| engage in our duties, and meet the 
j trials that are before us, leaning on 
the arm of our Almighty Redeemer ! 
Let us not shrink from "duty ; let us 
j not dread persecution ; let u^not fear 
the bed of death. In all circumstances, 
Christ, our unchanging Friend, can 
uphold us. Let the eye, and the af- 
fections of the heart, be fixed on him ; 
let the simple, fervent, believing pray- 
er be directed always to him when 
trials come, when temptations assail, 
when duty presses hard upon us, and 
when a crowd of unholy and forbid- 
den thoughts rush into the soul, and 
we shall be safe. 

Notwithstanding , ye have well done. 
Though he had learned the grace of 
contentment, and though he knew 
that Christ could enable him to do all 
! things, it was well for them to show 
sympathy for his sufferings; for it 
evinced a proper regard for a benefac- 
tor and an apostl^. H Ye did commu- 
i nicate. You took part with my afflic- 
tion. That is, you sympathized with 
me, and assisted me in bearing it. 
The relief which they had sent not 
only supplied his wants, but it sus- 
tained him by the certainty that he 
| was not forgotten. 

15. In the beginning of the Gospel. 



A.D. G4.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



209 



gospel, when I departed from Mac- 
edonia, no a church communicated 
with me as concerning giving and 
receiving, but ye only. 

16 For even in Thessalonica ye 
sent once and again unto my ne- 
cessity. 

a 2 Cor. 11. 8,9. 

"At the time when I first preached 
the Gospel to you ; or when the Gos- 
pel began its benign influence on your 
hearts." ^ When I departed from 
Macedonia. See Acts xvii. 14. The 
last place that Paul visited in Mace- 
donia, at that time, was Berea. There 
a tumult was excited by the Jews, and 
it was necessary for him to go away. 
He left Macedonia to go to Athens ; 
and he left it in haste, amid scenes of 
persecution, and when he needed sym- 
pathizing aid. At that time, as well 
as when he was in Thessalonica (Acts 
xvii. 1-10), he needed the assistance 
of others to supply his wants ; and he 
says that aid was not withheld. The 
meaning here is, that this aid was sent 
to him "as he was departing from 
Macedonia;" that is, alike in Thessa- 
lonica and afterward. This was about 
twelve years before this epistle was 
written. — Doddridge. \No Church 
communicated with me. No Church so 
participated with me in my sufferings 
and necessities as to send to my relief. 
Comp. 2 Cor. xi. 8, 9. Why they did 
not Paul does not intimate. It is not 
necessary to suppose that he meant 
to blame them. They might not have 
been acquainted with his necessities. 
All thttt is implied here is that he spe- 
cially commends the Philippians for 
their attention to him. 

16. For even in Thessalonica. See 
Notes on Acts xvii. 1. Paul remained 
there long enough to establish a flour- 
ishing Church. He met, indeed, with 
much opposition and persecution 
there, and hence it was necessary that 
his wants should be supplied by oth- 
ers. 

17. Not because I desire a gift. " The 
reason why I rejoice in the reception 
of what you have sent to me is not 
that I am covetous." From the in- 
terest with which he had spoken of 
their attention to him, some might, 
perhaps, be disposed to say that it 
arose from this cause. He says, there- 
fore, that, grateful as lie was for the 
favor which he had received, his chief 



17 Not because I desire a gift ; 
but I desire fruit that may abound 
to your account. 

18 But 1 1 have all, and abound : 
I am full, having received of 
Epaphroditus the things ichich 
were sent from you, an odour of a 

1 or, have received. 

interest in it arose from the fact that 
it would contribute ultimately to their 
own good. It showed that they were 
governed by Christian principle, and 
this would not fail to be rewarded. 
What Paul states here is by no means 
impossible, though it may not be very 
common. In the reception of favors 
from others, it is practicable to rejoice 
in them mainly, because their bestow- 
ment will be a means of good to the 
benefactor himself. All our selfish 
feelings and gratifications may be ab- 
sorbed and lost in the superior joy 
which we have in seeing others actu- 
ated by a right spirit, and in the belief 
that they will be rewarded. This feel- 
ing is one of the fruits of Christian 
kindness. It is that which leads us 
to look away from self, and to rejoice 
in every evidence that others will be 
made happy. ^1 desire fruit. The 
word "fruit" is often used in the 
Scriptures, as elsewhere, to denote re- 
sults, or that which is produced. Thus 
we speak of punishment as the fruit 
of sin, poverty as the fruitof idleness, 
and happiness as the frurr of a virtu- 
ous lile. The language is taken from 
the fact that a man reaps or gathers 
the fruit or result of that which he 
plants. *ft To your account. A phrase 
taken from commercial dealings. The 
apostle wished that it might be set 
down to their credit. He desired that 
when they came to appear before God, 
they might reap the benefit of all the 
acts of kindness which they had shown 
him. 

18. But I have all. Marg., " or, have 
received.' " The phrase here is equiva- 
lent to "I have received every thing. 
I have all I want, and desire no more. ' 
He was entirely satisfied. What they 
had sent to him is, of course, now un- 
known. It is sufficient to know that 
it was of such a nature as to make his 
situation comfortable. If I am full, I 
I have enough. This is a strong expres- 
1 sion, denoting that nothing was lack- 
ing. 1| Having received of Kpaphrodit us. 
See Notes on ch. ii. :25. *\\An odor of 



210 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



sweet smell, a sacrifice a accepta- 
ble, well-pleasing to God. 

19 But my God shall supply b all 
your need, according to his riches c 
in glory by Christ Jesus. 

20 Now d unto God and our Fa- 

aHeb.13. 16. 5Psa.23. 1. 



ther be glory forever and ever. 
Amen. 

21 Salute every saint in Christ 
Jesus. The brethren which are 
with me greet you. 

22 All the saints salute you, chief- 

cEph.3. 16. d Rom. 16. 27. 



a sweet smell. This does not mean that 
it was such an odor to Paul, but to 
God. He regarded it as an offering 
which they had made to God himself, 
and he was persuaded that God would 
regard it as acceptable to him. They 
had doubtless made the offering not 
merely from personal friendship for 
Paul, but because he was a minister 
of Christ, and from lore- to his cause, 
and Paul felt assured that this offering 
would be acceptable to him. Comp. 
Matt. x. 41, 42. The word "oeZor" re- 
fers properly to the pleasant fragrance 
produced in the Temple by the burn- 
ing of incense. See Notes on Luke i. 
9. On the meaning of the word ren- 
dered "a sweet smell" — eucoBlo. — see 
Notes on 2 Cor. ii. 15. The whole lan- 
guage here is taken from an act of 
worship; and the apostle regarded 
what he had received from the Philip- 
pians as, in fact, a thank-offering to 
God, and as presented with the spirit 
of true devotion to him. It was not, 
indeed, a formal act of worship, but 
it was acceptable to God as an ex- 
pression ofliheir regard for his cause. 
1 A sacrifice acceptable. Acceptable to 
God. Comp. Heb. xiii. 16. Rom. xii. 
1. U Well-pleasing to God. Because it 
evinced a regard for true religion. 
Learn hence, (1.) that kindness done 
to the ministers of the Gospel is re- 
garded as an acceptable offering to 
God. (2.) That kindness to any of the 
servants of God in distress and want 
is as well-pleasing to God as direct 
acts of worship. (3.) That such acts 
of benevolence are evidences of at- 
tachment to the cause of religion, and 
are proofs of genuine piety. See Notes 
on Matt. x. 42. 

19. But my God shall supply all your 
need. That is, u You have shown your 
regard for me as a friend of God by 
sending to me in my distress, and I 
have confidence that, in return for all 
this, God will supply all your wants 
when you are in circumstances of ne- 
cessity." Paul's confidence in this 
seems not to have been founded on 
any express revelation, but on the gen- 



eral principle that God would regard 
their offering with favor. Nothing is 
lost, even in the present life, by doing 
good. In thousands of instances it is 
abundantly repaid. The benevolent 
are not usually poor ; and if they are, 
God often raises up for them benefac- 
tors, and sends supplies in a manner 
as unexpected, and bearing proofs of 
divine interposition as decided as 
when supplies were sent by the ravens 
to the prophet. U According to his 
riches in glory. See Notes on Eph. iii. 
16. The word riches here means his 
abundant fullness ; his possessing all 
things; his inexhaustible ability to 
supply their wants. The phrase "in 
glory" is probably to be connected 
with the following phrase, "in Christ 
Jesus;" and means that the method 
of imparting supplies to men was 
through Jesus Christ, and was a glo- 
rious method, or that it was done in 
a glorious manner. It is such an ex- 
pression as Paul is accustomed to use 
when speaking of what God does. He 
is not satisfied with saying simply 
that it is so, but he connects with it 
the idea that whatever God does is 
done in a way worthy of himself, and 
so as to illustrate his own perfections. 

Christ Jesus. By the medium of 
Christ, or through him. All the favors 
that Paul expected for himself or his 
fellow-men he believed would be con- 
ferred through the Redeemer. Even 
the supply of our temporal wants 
comes to us through the Saviour. 
Were it not for the atonement, there 
is no more reason to suppose that 
blessings would be conferred on men 
than that they would be on fallen an- 
gels. For them no atonement has 
been made, and at the hand of justice 
they have received only wretchedness 
and wo. 

20. Koiv unto God and our Father, etc. 
See Notes on Rom. xvi. 27. It was 
usual for Paul to address such an as- 
cription of praise to God at the close 
of his epistles. 

21. Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. 
It was usual also for Paul to close his 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV 



211 



ly thev that are of Caesar's house- 
hold. 

23 The grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ be with you all. Amen. 



epistles with affectionate salutations 
to various members of the churches 
to which he wrote. In these saluta- 
tions the names of prominent mem- 
bers of the churches are commonly 
mentioned. See the close of the epis- 
tles to the Romans, 1 Corinth ans, 
Colossians, and 2 Timothy. In this 
epistle, however, as in some others, 
the salutation is general. Why none 
are specified in particular is not cer- 
tainly known. H The brethren which 
are with me, etc. The word "breth- 
ren" here probably refers to ministers 
that were with Paul, as the "saints" 
in general are mentioned in the next 
verse. It is possible that at Rome 
the ministers were known "by the gen- 
eral name of the brethren. — Pierce. 

22. All the saints salute you. All in 
Rome, where this epis-tle was written. 
No individuals are specified, perhaps 
because none of the Christians at 
Rome were personally known to the 
Church at Phi lip pi. They would, 
however, feel a deep interest in a 
Church which had thus the confidence 
and affection of Paul. There is reason 
to believe that the bonds of affection 
among the churches then were much 
stronger than they are now. There 
was a generous warmth in the new- 
ness of the Christian affection — the 
first ardor of love; and the common 
trials to which they were exposed 
would serve to bind them closely to- 
gether, ff Chiefly they that are of Cce- 
sar's household. That is, of Nero, who 
was at that time the reigning emper- 
or. The name Ccesar was given to all 
the emperors after the time of Julius 
Csesar, as the name Pharaoh was the 
common name of the kings of Egypt. 
The phrase here used — "the house- 
hold of Csesar"— may refer to the rel- 
atives of the emperor; and it is cer- 
tainly possible that some of them may 
have been converted to Christianity. 
But it does not of necessity refer to 
those related to him, but may be ap- 
plied to his domestics^r to some of 
the officers of the court that were 
more particularly employed around 
his person ; and as it is more proba- 
ble that some of them would be con- 
verted than his own relatives, it is 



It was written to the Philip- 
pians from Rome, by Epaph- 
roditus. 



more safe to suppose that they were 
' intended. See Notes on ch. i. 13. 

23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
etc. See Notes on Rom. xvL 20. 

In regard to the subscription at the 
end of this epistle, it may be re- 
marked, as has been done of the other 
subscriptions at the end of the epis- 
tles, that it is of no authority what- 
ever. There is no reason, how r ever, to 
doubt that in this case it is correct. 
The epistle bears internal evidence of 
having been written from Rome, and 
was doubtless sent by Epaphroditus. 
See the In trod., § 3. There is con- 
siderable variety in the subscription. 
The Greek is, "It was written to the 
Philippians from Rome, by Epaphro- 
ditus." The Syriac, "The epistle to 
the Philippians was written from 
Rome, and sent by Epaphroditus." 
The ^Ethiopic, " To the Philippians, 
by Timothy." 

REMARKS. 

The principal lessons taught in this 
closing chapter are the following: 
- 1. It is our duty to be firm in the 
Lord in all the trials, temptations, and 
persecutions to which we may be ex- 
posed. Ver. 1. This duty should be 
pressed on Christians by their teach- 
ers, and by each other, by all that is 
tender and sacred in the Christian pro- 
fession, and by all that is endearing in 
Christian friendship. Like Paul, we 
should appeal to others as "brethren 
dearty beloved and longed for," and 
by all their affection for us we should 
entreat them to be steadfast in the 
Christian profession. As their "joy 
and crown," also, ministers should de- 
sire that their people should be holy. 
Their own happiness and reward is to 
be closely connected with the firm- 
ness with which their people maintain 
the principles of the Christian l'aith.# 
If Christians, therefore, wish to im- 
part the highest joy to their religious 
teachers, and to exalt them as high as 
possible in future happiness and glory, 
they should strive to be faithful to 
their great Master, and to be steadfast 
in their attachment to his cause. 

2. It is the duty of those who have 
from any cause been alienated, to seek 



212 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



to be reconciled. Ver. 2. They should 
be of the same mind. Almost noth- 
ing does more to hinder the cause of 
religion than alienations and bicker- 
ings among its professed friends. It 
is possible for them to live in harmony, 
and to be of the same mind in the 
Lord ; and such is the importance of 
this, that it well deserves to be en- 
forced by apostolic authority and per- 
suasion. It may be observed, also, 
that in the case referred to in this 
chapter — that of Euodias and Syn- 
tyche— the exhortation to reconcilia- 
tion is addressed to both. Which was 
in the wrong, or whether both were, 
is not intimated, and is not needful 
for us to know. It is enough to know 
that there was alienation, and both of 
them were exhorted to see that the 
quarrel was made up. So, in all cases 
where members of the Church are at 
variance, it is the business of both par- 
ties to seek to be- reconciled, and nei- 
ther party is right if he waits for the 
other before he moves in the matter, 
If you feel that you have been injured, 
go and tell your brother kindly where- 
in you think he has done you wrong. 
He may at once explain the matter, 
and show that you have misunder- 
stood it, or he may make proper con- 
fession or restitution. Or, if he will 
do neither, you will have doue your 
duty. Matt, xviii. 15. If you are con- 
scious that you have injured him, then 
nothing is more proper than that you 
should go and make confession. The 
blame of the quarrel rests wholly on 
you. And if some meddling third per- 
son has got up the quarrel between 
you, then go and see your brother, and 
disappoint the devices of the enemy 
of religion. 

3. It is our duty and our privilege 
to rejoice in the Lord always. Ver. 4. 
As God is unchanging, we may always 
find joy in him. The character of God 
which we loved yesterday, and in the 
contemplation of which we found hap- 
piness then, is the same to-day, and its 
contemplation will furnish the same 
#joy to us now. His promises are the 
same; his government is the same; 
his readiness to impart consolation is 
the same ; the support which he can 
give in trial and temptation is the 
same. Though in our own hearts we 
may find much over which to mourn, 
yet when we look away from ourselves 
we may find abundant sources of con- 
solation and peace. The Christian, 



therefore, may be always happy. If 
he will look to God and not to him- 
self—to heaven and not to earth — he 
will find permanent and substantial 
sources of enjoyment. But in noth- 
ing else than God can we rejoice al- 
ways. Our friends, in whomVe find 
comfort, are taken away ; the prop- 
erty that we thought would make us 
| happy, fails to do so ; and pleasures 
j that we thought would satisfy, pall 
j upon the sense and make us wretch- 
ed. No man can be permanently hap- 
| py w T ho does not make the Lord the 
j source of joy, and who does not ex- 
pect to find his chief pleasure in him. 

4. It is a privilege to be permitted 
■ to go and commit every thing to God. 

| Ys. 6, 7. The mind may be in such a 
| state that it shall feel no anxiety 
' about any thing. We may feel so cer- 
tain that God will supply all our 
j wants ; that he will bestow upon us 
j all that is Teally necessary for us in 
! this life and the next, and that he will 
withhold from us nothing which it is 
j not for our real good to have with- 
I held, that the mind may be constantly 
! in a state of peace. With a thankful 
| heart for all the mercies which we 
j have enjoyed— and in all cases they 
; are many — we may go and commit 
I ourselves to God for all that we need 
hereafter. Such is the privilege of re- 
I ligion ; such an advantage is it to be 
> a Christian. Such a state of mind will 
j be followed by peace. And it is only 
! in such a way that true peace can be 
found. In every other method there 
| will be agitation of mind and deep 
i anxiety. If we have not this confi- 
\ dence in God, and this readiness to go 
j and commit all to him, we shall be 
j perplexed with the cares of this life ; 
' losses and disappointments will har- 
1 ass us; the changes which occur will 
weary and wear out our spirits, and 
through life we shall be tossed as on 
a restless ocean. 

5. It is the duty of Christians to be 
upright in every respect. Ver. 8. Ev- 
ery friend of the Redeemer should be 
a man of incorruptible and unsuspect- 
ed integrity. .He should be one who 
can always*be depended on to do what 
is right, and pure, and true, and love- 
ly. I know not that there is a more 
important verse in the New Testa- 
ment than the eighth verse of this 
chapter. It deserves to be recorded 
in letters of gold in the dwelling of 
everv Christian, and it would be well 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



213 



if it could be made to shine on his 1 
way as if written in characters of liv- 
ing light. There should be no virtue, 
no* truth, no noble plan of benevo- 
lence, no pure and holy undertaking 
in society, of which the Christian 
should not be, according to teis abil- J 
ity, the patron and the friend. The 
reasons are obvious. It is not only 
Because this is in accordance with the 
law of God, but it is from its effect on 
the community. The people of the 
world judge of religion by the charac- | 
ter of its professed friends. It is not j 
from what they hear in the pulpit, or 
learn from the Bible, or from treatises j 
on divinity; it is from what they see 
in the lives of those who profess to 
follow Christ. They mark the expres- 
sion of the eye, the curl of the lip, the 
words that we speak ; and if they per- 
ceive peevishness and irritability, they 
set it down to the credit of religion. 
They watch the conduct, the temper, 
the disposition," the manner of doing 
business, the respect which a man has 
for truth, the way in which he keeps 
his promises, and set it all down to 
the credit of religion. If a professed 
Christian fails in any one of these 
things, he dishonors religion, and 
neutralizes all the good which he 
might otherwise do. It is not only 
the man who is untrue, and dishonest, 
and unjust, and unlovely in his tem- 
per, that does evil ; it is he who is 
either false, or dishonest, or unjust, or 
unlovely in his temper. One evil pro- 
pensity will neutralize all that is good; 
and one member of the Church who 
fails to lead a moral and upright life 
will do much to neutralize all the 
good that can be done by all the rest 
of the Church. Comp. Ecci. x. 1. 

6. It is the duty of Christians to 
show kindness to the ministers of the 
Gospel, especially in times and cir- 
cumstances of want. Vers. 10, 14-17. 
Paul commended much what the Phi- 
Hppians had done for him. Yet they 
had clone no more than they ought to 
do See 1 Cor ix. 11. lie had estab- 
lished the Gospel among them, carry- 
ing it to them by great personal sac- 
rifice and self-denial. What he had 
done for them had cost him much 
more than what they had done for 
him, and was of much more value, 
lie had been in want. He was a pris- 
oner; among strangers ; incapable of 
exerting himself for his own support; 
not in a situation to minister to his 



own wants, as he had often done by 
tent-making, and in these circumstan- 
ces he needed the sympathizing aid of 
friends. He was not a man to be vol- 
untarily dependent on others, or to be 
at any time a burden to them. But 
circumstances beyond his control had 
made it necessary for others to supply 
his wants. The Philippians nobly re- 
sponded to his claims on them, and 
did all that he could ask. Their con- 
duct is a good example for other 
Christians to imitate in their treat- 
ment of the ministers of the Gospel. 
Ministers now are often in want. They 
become old, and are unable to labor; 
they are sick, and can not render the 
service to which they have been ac- 
customed; their families are afflicted, 
and they have not the means of pro- 
viding lor them comfortably in sick- 
ness. It is to be remembered, also, 
that such cases often happen where a 
minister has spent the best part of his 
life in the service of a people ; where 
he has devoted his most vigorous days 
to their welfare ; where he has been 
unable to lay up any thing for sick- 
ness or old age ; where he may have 
abandoned what would have been a 
lucrative calliug for the purpose of 
preaching the Gospel. If there ever 
is a claim on the generosity 7 of a peo- 
ple, his case is one, and there is no 
debt of gratitude which a people 
ought more cheerfully to pay than 
that of providing for the wants of an 
aged, an afflicted, or a disabled serv- 
ant of Christ who has spent his best 
years in endeavoring to train them 
and their children up for heaven. Yet 
it can not be denied that great injus- 
tice is often done in such cases. The 
poor beast that has served a man and 
his family in the days of his vigor is 
often turned out in old age to die, and 
something like this Qccurs in the 
treatment of ministers of the Gospel. 
The conduct of a people, generous in 
many other respects, is often unac- 
countable in their treatment of their 
pastors; and one of the lessons which 
ministers often have to learn, like 
their Master, by bitter experience, is 
the ingratitude of those for whose 
welfare they have toiled, and prayed, 
and wept. 

7. Let us learn to be contented with 
our present condition. Vers. 11, 12. 
Paul learned this lesson. It is nol a. 
native state of mind. It is a lesion to 
be acquired by experience. By nature 



214 



PHILIPPIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



we are all restless and impatient ; we 
are reaching after things that we have 
not, and often after things that we can 
not and ought not to have. We are 
envious of the condition of others, 
and suppose that if we had what they 
have we should be happy. Yet, if we 
have right feelings, we shall always 
tind enough in our present condition 
to make us contented. We shall have 
such confidence in the arrangements 
of Providence as to feel that things 
are ordered for the best. If we are 
poor, and persecuted, and in want, or 
are prostrated by sickness, we shall 
feel that there is some good reason 
why this is so arranged, though the 
reason may not be known to us. If 
we are benevolent as we ought to be, 
we shall be willing that others shall \ 
be made happy by what they possess, 
instead of coveting it for ourselves, 
and desiring to wrest it from them. 
If we are disposed to estimate our 
mercies, and not to give up our minds 
to a spirit of complaining, we shall see 
enough around us to make us con- 
♦ tented. Paul was a prisoner ; he was 
poor; he was among strangers; he 
had neither wife nor children ; he was 
about to be tried for his life, and prob- 
ably put to death ; yet he learned to 
be content. He had a good conscience ; 
the hope of heaven; a sound intellect; 
a heart disposed to do good, and con- 
fidence in God, and why should a man 
in such circumstances murmur? Says 
Jeremy Taylor, "Am I fallen into the 
•hands of publicans and sequestrators, 
who have taken all from me? W T hat j 
now ? Let me look about me. They 
have left me the sun and moon, fire 
and water, a loving wife, and many 
friends to pity me, and some to relieve 
me, and I can still discourse ; and un- 
less I list, they have not taken away | 
my merry countenance, and a cheerful j 
spirit, and a g'ood conscience; they 
still have left me the providence of 
God, and all the promises of the Gos- 

Eel, and my religion, and my hopes of 
eaven, and my charity to them too; I 



and still I sleep and digest ; I eat and 
drink; I read and meditate; I can 
walk in my neighbor's pleasant fields, 
and see the varieties of natural beau- 
ties, and delight in all in which God 
delights, that is, in virtue and wisdom, 
in the Wiole creation, and in God him- 
self. And he who hath so many causes 
of joy, and so great, is very much in 
love with sorrow and peevishness 
who loses all these pleasures, and 
chooses to sit down upon his little 
handful of thorns." — Holy Living, ch. 
ii., sect. vi. Let the whole of this sec- 
tion " on Contentedness" be read. It 
is one of the most beautiful arguments 
for contentment that ever proceeded 
from uninspired lips. 

8. In all these things ; in all the du- 
ties and the trials of life ; in all our ef- 
forts to meet temptation, and to cul- 
tivate contentment with our present 
condition, let us put our trust in the 
Saviour. Ver. 13. Paul said that he 
could "do all things through Christ 
who strengthened him. ' ' His strength 
was there ; ours is there also. If we 
attempt these things, relying on our 
own strength, we shall certainly fail. 
The bad passions of our nature will 
get the ascendency, and we shall be 
left to discontent and murmuring. 
The arm that is to uphold us is that 
of the Redeemer ; and, relying on that, 
we shall find no duty so arduous that 
we may not be able to perform it ; no 
temptation so formidable that we may ■ 
not be able to meet it; no trial so 
great that we may not be able to bear 
it ; no situation in life through which 
we may be called to pass where we 
may not find contentment and peace. 
And may God of his rich mercy give 
to each one who shall read these Notes 
on this beautiful epistle to the Phi- 
lippians abundant grace thus to con- 
fide in the Saviour, and to practice all 
the duties so tenderly enjoined on the 
Philippian Christians and on us by 
this illustrious prisoner in the cause 
of Christ. 



NOTES, 

EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, 

ON THE 

EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 

Br ALBERT BARNES. 



INTRODUCTION. 



§ 1. The Situation of Colosse. 

Colosse, or, as it is written in many manuscripts, Colasse, was a cel- 
ebrated city of Phrygia, in Asia Minor. See the map prefixed to the 
Notes on the Acts of the Apostles. It was in the southern part of 
that province, was nearly directly east of Ephesus, north of Laodicea, 
and nearly west of Antioch in Pisidia. It is mentioned by Herodotus 
(Polyhymn., lib. viii., c. 80) as u a great city of Phrygia, in that part 
where the River Lycus descends into a chasm of the earth and disap- 
pears, but which, after a distance of five stadia, rises again and flows 
into the Meander' 1 — sq tov Maiavdpov. Xenophon also mentions the 
city of Colosse as being 7t6\lq oiicovfievfi evdai/jtajv kcli fieyaXri — " a city 
well inhabited, pleasant, and large." — Expedition of Cyrus, lib. i. In 
the time of Strabo, however, it seems to have been much diminished in 
size, as it is mentioned by him among the " smaller towns" — TroXlvfiara. 
— Lib. xii., p. 864. In the latter part of the reign of Nero, and not long 
after this epistle was written, Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis were 
at the same time overwhelmed by an earthquake. — Pliny, Hist. Nat., 
lib. v., c. 41. Colosse recovered, however, from this shock, and is men- 
tioned by the Byzantine writers as among the most opulent cities. 
See Koppe, Proleg. The ancient town is now extinct, but its site is 
occupied by a village called Chonos, or Khonas. This village is de- 
scribed by Mr. Arundell as being situated most picturesquely under 
the immense range of Mount Cadmus, which rises to a very lofty and 
perpendicular height behind the village, in some parts clothed with 
pines, in others bare of soil, with vast chasms and caverns. The im- 
mense perpendicular chasm, seen in the view, affords an outlet to a 
wide mountain torrent, the bed of which is dry in summer. The 
approach to the village is as wild as the village itself is beautiful, 
abounding in tall trees, from which vines of most luxuriant growth 
are suspended. In the immediate neighborhood are several vestiges 
of an ancient city, consisting of arches, vaults, squared stones, while 
the ground is strewed with broken pottery, which so generally and so 
remarkably indicates the site of ancient towns in the East. That these 
ruins are all that now remain of Colosse there seems no reason to doubt. 
The opposite cut will furnish an idea of their appearance. 

Colosse, as has been remarked, was situated in Phrygia. On the 
name Phrygia, and the origin of the Phrygians, very different opinions 
have been entertained, which it is not necessary to specify in order to 
an understanding of this epistle. They claimed to be the most ancient 
people of the world ; and it is said that this claim was admitted by 
the Esvptians, who, though boastful of their own antiquity, were con- 
K 



ccxviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



tent to regard themselves as second to the Phrygians. — Pict. Bible. 
Like other parts of Asia Minor which were distinguished as provinces 
under the Roman empire, Phrygia is first historically known as a 
kingdom, and continued such until it was made a province of the 
Lydian monarchy. It remained a province of that monarchy until 
Croesus, king of Lydia, was conquered by Cyrus of Persia, who added 
the Lydian kingdom to his empire. After that, Phrygia, like the rest 
of Asia Minor, became successively subject to the Greeks, the Romans, 
and the Turks. In the time when the Gospel was preached there, it 
was subject to the Romans ; it is now under the dominion of the Turks. 
Phrygia was anciently celebrated for its fertility ; but under the Mos- 
lem yoke, a great part of the country lies uncultivated. 

§ 2. The Establishment of the Church in Co fosse. 

The Gospel was first preached in Phrygia by Paul and Silas, ac- 
- companied also by Timothy. Acts xv. 40, 41 ; xvi. 1-3, 6. It is said 
that they " went throughout Phrygia," which means, doubtless, that 
they went to the principal cities and towns. Acts xviii. 23, it is said 
that Paul visited Phrygia again, after he had been to Philippi, Athens, 
Jerusalem, and Antioch. He "went over all the country of Galatia 
and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples." It is not, in- 
deed, expressly said of Paul and Silas that they went to Colosse ; but, 
as this was one of the principal cities of Phrygia, there is every reason 
to suppose that they preached the Gospel there. 1 

It has been doubted, however, whether Paul was ever at Colosse. 
It is expressly affirmed by Hug (IritroU.), and by Koppe (Proleg.), that 
Paul had not taught at Colosse himself, and that he had no personal 
acquaintance with the Christians there. It has been maintained that 
the Gospel was probably first preached there by Eparmras. who heard 
the apostle at Ephesus, and who returned and preached the Gospel 
to his own countrymen. The opinion that Paul had not been there, 
and was personally unacquainted with the Church, is founded on his 
declaration in chap. ii. 1 : " For I would that ye knew what great con- 
flict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for us many as have 
not seen my face in the fleshy From this it is inferred that he was 
neither at Colosse nor at Laodicea. Yet it may be justly doubted 
whether this passage will authorize this conclusion. Theodoret long 
since suggested that the meaning of this was, " I have not only a con- 
cern for you, but I have also great concern for those who have not seen 
me." Dr. Lardner, however, maintains that the Gospel was preached 
* in Colosse by Paul. The reasons which he gives for the opinion are 
briefly these : 

(1.) The declarations of Luke, already quoted, that Paul more than 
once passed through Phrygia. The presumption is, that he would 
visit the chief cities of that province in passing and repassing through 
it. It is to be remembered that, according to chap. ii. 1, Colosse and 
Laodicea are placed on the same footing, and hence the difficulty of 
the supposition that he did not visit the former is increased. Can it 
be supposed that Paul would go again and again through that region, 
preaching the Gospel in the points where it would be likely to exert 
the widest influence, and yet never visit either of these principal cities 



INTRODUCTION. 



ccxix 



of the province, especially when it is remembered that Laodicea was 
the capital ? (2.) Dr. Lardner appeals to what Paul says in chap. i. 6, 
and ii. 6, 7, in proof that he knew that they had been rightly taught 
the Gospel. From this he infers that Paul had himself communicated 
it to them. This conclusion is not perfectly clear, since it is certain 
that Paul might have known their first teachers, and been satisfied 
that they taught the truth ; but it is such language as he would have 
used on the supposition that he was the spiritual father of the Church. 
(3.) Epaphras, says Dr. Lardner, was not their first instructor in the 
Gospel. This he infers from what is said of him in chap. i. 7, and in 
chap. iv. 12, 13. He is commended as a one of them," as a "fellow- 
servant," as " a faithful minister of Christ," as one " beloved ;" but he 
is not spoken of as sustaining any nearer relation to them. If he had 
been the founder of their Church, he thinks it is incredible that there 
is no allusion to this fact in writing to them ; that the apostle should 
have spoken more than once of him, and never referred to his agency 
in establishing the Church there. (4.) Paul does, in effect, say that he 
had himself preached the Gospel to these Colossians. Chap. i. 21-25. 
The salutations at the end of the epistle to various persons at Laodicea 
and Colosse show that he was personally acquainted there. See these 
and other reasons drawn out in Lardner's Works, vol. vi., p. 151 seq., ed. 
Lond., 1829. The considerations suggested by Dr. Lardner seem to me 
to be sufficient to render it in the highest degree probable that the 
Church at Colosse was founded by Paul. 

§ 3. When and where the Epistle was written. 
This epistle is believed to have been written at Rome, when Paul 
was a prisoner there, and at about the same time that the Epistle to 
the Ephesians and the Epistle to Philemon were written, and that they 
were all sent by the same persons. It is said in the epistle itself (chap, 
iv. 7, 9) that it was sent by Tychicus and Onesimus, both of whom are 
commended as " faithful and beloved" brethren. But the Epistle to 
the Ephesians was written at Rome (see the In trod.), and was sent by 
Tychicus (Eph.vi.21, and the Epistle to Philemon was sent by Onesi- 
mus. It is probable, therefore, that these persons visited Ephesus, 
Colosse, and the place where Philemon resided ; or, rather, that Tych^* 
icus and Onesimus visited Colosse together, and that then Tychicus 
went to Ephesus, and Onesimus went to his former master Philemon. 
That this epistle and the one to Philemon were written at about the 
same time, is further apparent from the fact that Epaphras is men- 
tioned in both as with the apostle, and as joining in the salutation. 
Col.iv. 12. Philem. 23. The Epistle to the Colossians bears internal 
marks of having been written at Rome, when the apostle was a pris- 
oner. Thus, in chap. i.. 24, the writer says, "who now rejoice in my 
sufferings for you." Chap.iv. 18, " Remember my bonds." If this be 
so, then it is not difficult to fix the date of the epistle with some de- 
gree of accuracy. This would be about th$ year 62. 

§ 4. The Occasion and Design of the Ejnstle. 
The general drift of this epistle has a strong resemblance to that 
addressed to the Ephesians, and it bears internal marks of being from 



ccxx 



INTRODUCTION. 



the same hand. It was evidently written in view of errors which ex- 
tensively prevailed among the churches of that part of Asia Minor, 
and was designed to inculcate the same general duties. It is of im- 
portance, therefore, to possess a general understanding of the nature 
of these errors, in order to a correct interpretation of the epistle. 

The Church at.Colosse was one of a circle or group of churches, 
lying near each other, in Asia Minor, and it is probable that the same 
general views of philosophy, and the same errors, prevailed through- 
out the entire region where they were situated. That group of 
churches embraced those at Ephesus, Laodicea, Thyatira, and, in gen- 
eral, those addressed in the Apocalypse as " the seven churches of 
Asia. 1 ' From some of the notices of those churches in the New Tes- 
tament, as well as from the epistle before us, we may leam what errors 
prevailed there in general, and against what form of error particular- 
ly the Epistle to the Colossians was designed to guard. 

(1.) Several classes of errorists are mentioned as existing within the 
limits of the " seven churches of Asia," Thus, in the Church at Ephe- 
sus, " those which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found 
them liars" (Rev. ii. 2) ; in Smyrna, those " which say they are Jews, 
and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan" (Rev.ii.9) ; in Thyati- 
ra, "that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess" (Rev. ii. 
20) ; in Pergamos, "them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes ;" 
those " who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a 
stumbling-block before the children of Israel." Rev. ii. 14, 15. The 
near proximity of these churches to Colosse would render it probable 
that the infection of these errors might have reached that Church also. 

(2.) The apostle Paul, in his parting speech to the elders of the 
Church at Ephesus, alludes to certain teachers to whose influence the 
Church there might be exposed in such a manner as to show that 
there was some peculiar danger from such teachers in that community. 
" For I know that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in 
among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men 
arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." 
Acts xx. 29, 30. He does not specify, indeed, the kind of danger to 
which they would be exposed, but it is evident that the danger arose 
from plausible teachers of error. These were of two classes — those 
who would come in from abroad, implying probably that there were 
such teachers in the neighboring church es}%nd such as would spring 
up among themselves. 

(3.) In that vicinity there appear to have been numerous disciples 
of John the Baptist, retaining many Jewish prejudices and preposses- 
sions, who would be tenacious of the observances of the Mosaic law. 
What were their views is not precisely known; but it is clear that 
they regarded the Jewish law as still binding ; that they would be 
rigid in its observance, and in insisting on its observance by others ; 
that they had at best, if any, a very imperfect acquaintance with 
Christianity; and that they were ignorant of the miraculous power of 
the Holy Spirit, and of the fact that that had been poured out in a 
remarkable manner under the preaching of the apostles. Paul found 
a number of these disciples of John at Ephesus, who professed not to 
have received the Holy Ghost, and who said that they had been bap- 



INTRODUCTION. 



ccxxi 



tized unto John's baptism. Acts xix. 1-3. Among the most distin- 
guished and influential of the disciples of John in that region was 
Apollos (Acts xviii. 24, 25), who is represented as an eloquent man, 
and mighty in the Scriptures. He taught at Ephesus, but how long 
before he was made more fully acquainted with the Gospel is unknown. 
He is represented as having been zealously engaged in that work, and 
as being eminently successful. Acts xviii. 25. There is no reason to 
doubt that he contributed not a little in diffusing, in that region, the 
peculiar views held by those who were known as the disciples of John. 
What was precisely the doctrine which Apollos taught before " the 
way of God was expounded more perfectly to him" (Acts xviii. 26) is 
not now known. There is every reason, however, to suppose that he 
would insist on the observance of the Jewish laws, and the customs 
of their nation. The opinions which would be likely to be defended 
by one in his circumstances would be those which prevailed when 
John preached — when the law of Moses was considered to be in full 
force, and when it was regarded as necessary to observe all his insti- 
tutions. The advocates for the Jewish law among the churches would 
be likely to appeal with great force to the sentiments of so good and 
so eloquent a man as Apollos. So extensive was his influence, that 
Koppe supposes that the principal errors prevailing in the churches 
in Phrygia, which it was the design of the apostle in this epistle to 
correct, could be traced to the influence of the disciples of John, and 
especially to the teachings of this eloquent man. — Proleg., p. 160. 

(4.) If we look into the epistle itself, we shall be able to determine 
with some degree of certainty the errors which prevailed, and which 
it was the design of this epistle to correct, and we shall find that they 
correspond remarkably with what we might anticipate, from what we 
have seen to be the errors abounding in that region, (a) Their first 
danger arose from the influence of philosophy. Chap. ii. 4-8. The 
apostle warns them to beware lest any one should " beguile them with 
enticing words;" he cautions them against "philosophy and vain de- 
ceit" — a philosophy that was based on the " tradition of men," " after, 
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Such philosophy 
might be expected to prevail in those cities so near to Greece, and so 
much imbued with the Grecian spirit ; and one of the chief dangers 
which would beset them would arise from its prevalence, (by A second 
sqiirce of danger referred to was that arising from the influence of those 
who insisted on the observance of the rites and customs of the Jewish 
religion. This the apostle refers to in chap. ii. 16 : " Let no man, there- 
forejudge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of 
the new moon, or of the Sabbath days." These are subjects on which 
the Jews would insist much, and in this respect the disciples of John 
would be likely to sympathize entirely with them. It is evident that 
there were those among them who were endeavoring to enforce the ob- 
servance of these things, (c) There is some evidence of the prevalence 
there of a philosophy more Oriental than Grecian — a philosophy that 
savored of Gnosticism. This philosophy was subsequently the foun- 
dation of a large part of the errors that crept into the Church. Indi- 
cations of its prevalence in Colosse occur in places like the following: 
Chap. ii. 9 : " For in him [Christ] dwelleth all the fullness of the God- 



ccxxii 



INTRODUCTION. 



head bodily ; from which it would seem probable that there were those 
who denied that the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in the Lord 
Jesus — a favorite doctrine of the Gnostics, who maintained that the 
assumption of human nature by the Son of God was in appearance 
jcmly, and that he died on the cross only in appearance, and not in re- 
ality. So in chap. ii. 18, there is a reference to " a voluntary humility 
and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which are not 
seen, and which tend vainly to puff up a fleshly mind" — a description 
that will apply with remarkable accuracy to the homage paid by the 
Gnostics to the ^Eons, and to the general efforts of those who held 
the doctrines of that philosophy to intrude into those things which 
are not seen, and to offer an explanation of the mode of the divine ex- 
istence and the nature of the divine agency. See Notes on the verses 
here referred to. It will contribute not a little to a proper understand- 
ing of this epistle to keep these things in remembrance respecting the 
kind of philosophy which prevailed in the region in which Colosse 
was situated, and the nature of the dangers to which they were ex- 
posed. 

(5.) It will be seen from these remarks, and from the epistle itself, 
that the difficulties in the Church at Colosse did not relate to the 
moral and religious character of its members. There is no mention 
of any improper conduct, either in individuals or in the Church at 
large, as there was in the Church at Corinth ; there is no intimation 
that they had been guilty of any sins but such as were common to all 
heathens before conversion. There are, indeed, intimations that they 
were exposed to sin, and there are solemn charges against indulgence 
in it. But the sins to which they were exposed were such as prevailed 
in all the ancient heathen world, and were doubtless such as the Gen- 
tile part of the Church, particularly, had been guilty of before their 
conversion. The following sins particularly are mentioned : " Forni- 
cation, uncleanness, inordinate affection, covetousness, anger, wrath, 
malice, blasphemy, filthy communications, and lying." Chap. iii. 5-9. 
These were common sins among the heathen (comp. Notes on Roin.i.), 
and to a relapse into these they were particularly exposed ; but it 
does not appear that any of the members of the Church had given 
occasion for public reproach, or for apostolic reproof, by falling into 
them. As they were sins, however, in which they had formerly in- 
dulged (chap. iii. 7), and as they were, therefore, the more liable to fa^ 
into them again, there was abundant occasion for all the solicitude 
which the apostle manifests on the subject. 

From the remarks now made, it is easy to see what was the design 
of the Epistle to the Colossians. It was primarily to guard the Church 
against the errors to which it was exposed from the prevalence of false 
philosophy, and from the influence of false teachers in religion ; to as- 
sert the superior claims of Christianity over all philosophy, and its in- 
dependence of the peculiar rites and customs of the Jewish religion. 

It has been asked why the apostle wrote an epistle to the Church 
at Colosse rather than to the Church in Laodicea, especially as La- 
odicea was the capital of Phrygia ? And it has been asked, also, why 
an epistle was addressed to that Church so strikingly resembling the 
Epistle to the Ephesians (see § 5), especially as it has been supposed 



INTRODUCTION. 



ccxxiii 



that the Epistle to the Ephesians was designed to be a circular letter, 
to be read by the churches in the vicinity ? The reasons why an 
epistle was addressed particularly to the Church at Colosse seem to 
have been such as the following : 

(1.) Onesimus was at that time with Paul at Rome, and was about 
to return to his master Philemon at Colosse. See the Introduction to 
the Epistle to Philemon. It was perfectly natural that Paul should 
avail himself of the opportunity thus afforded him to address a letter 
to the Church at Cohlsse also. 

(2.) Epaphras, a principal teacher of the Church at Colosse, was also 
with Paul at Rome. Chap. i. 7 ; iv. 12. He was at that time a fellow- 
prisoner with him frailein.23), and it is not improbable that it was at 
his solicitation particularly that this epistle was written. Paul had 
learned from him the state of the Church at Colosse (chap.i. 6,7), and 
it is not impossible, as Koppe conjectures, that he had been sent to 
Rome by the Church to seek the counsel of the apostle in the state of 
things which then existed in Colosse. Epaphras was, at any rate, 
greatly interested in the state of things in the Church, as well as in 
the condition of the churches at Laodicea and Hierapolis (chap.iv. 13), 
and nothing was more natural than that he should endeavor to induce 
the apostle to direct a letter that might be of benefit to them all. 

(3.) A particular reason for sending this epistle appears to have been, 
to confirm the authority of Epaphras, and to give the sanction of the 
apostle to the truths which he had taught. In their difficulties and 
dangers, Epaphras had taken an important part in giving them coun- 
sel. His views might have been opposed, or his authority might have 
been disputed by the teachers of error there, and it was important that 
the apoafclic sanction should be given to what he had taught. Hence 
the apostle speaks with so much affection of Epaphras, and so warmly 
of him as a faithful servant of Christ. Chap. i. 7 ; iv. 12, 13. 

(4.) It may be added that, although there is a strong resemblance 
between this epistle and that to the Ephesians, and although it may 
be regarded as probable that the epistle to the Ephesians was intended 
in part as a circular, yet this epistle would not have been needless. It 
contains many things which are not in that epistle ; it is especially 
adapted to the state of things in the Church at Colosse, and it would 
have the greater weight with Christians there from being specifically 
addressed to them. See Michaelis's In trod, to the New Testament, vol. 
iv., p. 122, and Koppe, Proleg., p. 163, 164. 

§ 5. The Resemblance between this Epistle and that to the Ephesians. 

Every person who has given any considerable degree of attention 
to this epistle must have been struck with its remarkable similarity to 
the Epistle to the Ephesians. That resemblance is greater by far than 
exists between any other two of the epistles of Paul — a resemblance 
not only in the general style and manner which may be expected to 
characterize the different productions of the same author, but extend- 
ing to the course of thought ; to the structure of the argument ; to the 
particular instructions, and to some phrases which do not occur else- 
where. This similarity relates particularly to the following points: 

(1.) In the representation of the reason for which the apostle was 



ejxxiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



imprisoned at Rome. This resemblance, Dr. Paley (Horn Paulv/m) re- 
marks, is "too close to be accounted for from accident, and yet too 
indirect and latent to be imputed to design, and is one which can not 
easily be resolved into any other source than truth." It is not found 
in any other of his epistles. It consists in this, that Paul in these two 
epistles attributes his imjDrisonment not to his preaching Christianity 
in general, but to his asserting the right of the Gentiles to be admitted 
into the Church on an equal footing with the Jews, and without being 
obliged to conform themselves to the Jewish law. This was the doc- 
trine to which he considered himself a martyr. Thus, in chap. i. 24, 
he says, " Who now rejoice in my sufferings /or yom;" and in chap, ii. 
1, "for I would that ye knew what great conflict T have for you, and 
for them at Laodicea." That is, his conflicts and trials, his imprison- 
ment and danger of death, had somehow come upon him in conse- 
quence of his endeavoring to spread the Gospel in such places as Co- 
losse and Laodicea. These were Gentile communities ; and the mean- 
ing is, that his trials were the result of his efforts to preach among 
the Gentiles. The same representation is made in the Epistle to the 
Ephesians — likewise written from Rome during his imprisonment. 
" For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.' 1 '' 
Chap. iii. 1. And this coincidence is also apparent by comparing two 
other places in the epistles. Thus, Col. iv. 3 : " Praying for us, that 
God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mysteries of 
Christ, for which I am in bonds." An allusion to the same "mystery" 
occurs also in the Epistle to the Ephesians : " Whereby when ye read, 
ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ — that the 
Gentiles should be fellow-heirs of the same body, and -partakers of h^prom- 
ise infjhrist by the Gospel." Chap. iii. 4-6. In the Acts of the jostles 
the same statement occurs in regard to the cause for which the apostle 
was persecuted and imprisoned, and it is on this coincidence, which is 
so evidently undesigned, thatlPaley has founded the argument for the 
genuineness of the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians. — Horo3 
Paulince. The statement in the Acts of the Apostles is, that the per- 
secutions of Paul, which led to his appeal to the Roman emperor and 
to his imprisonment at Rome, were in consequence of his maintaining 
that the Gentiles were, in the Christian administration, to be admitted 
to the same privileges as the Jews, or that there was no distinction 
between them in the matter of salvation ; and his sufferings, therefore, 
were, as he says, " in behalf of the Gentiles." See, particularly, Acts 
xxi. 28 ; xxii. 21, 22. From these passages it appears that the offence 
which drew down on Paul the vengeance of his countrymen was his 
mission to the Gentiles, and his maintaining that they were to be ad- 
mitted to the privileges of salvation on the same terms as the Jews. 

(2.) There is a strong resemblance between the course of thought 
and the general structure of the Epistles to the Ephesians and the 
Colossians. To an extent that does not occur in any other of Paul's 
epistles, the same topics are introduced, and if* the same order and 
connection. Indeed, in some portions they are almost identical. Par- 
ticularly the order in which the various topics are introduced is nearly 
the same. The following portions of the two epistles will be seen to 
correspond with each other: 



INTRODUCTION. 



CCXXV 



Ephesians. Colossians. 

i. 15-19 with i. 9-11. 

i. 20-23 " i. 15-19. 

i. 10 " i.20. 

ii. 1-10 44 i. 21-23. 

iii. T " i.25. 

iii. 9, 10 " i. 26,27. 

iii. 17 " ii- 7. 

ii. 11-22 " ii. 11-15. 

iv. 14 " ii. 8. 



Ephesians. Colossians. 

iv. 15,16 with. ..ii. 19. « 

iv. 25 "....iii. 9. 

iv. 22-24 " iii. 9, 10. 

iv. 32 " iii. 12. 

v. 19, 20 "....iii. 16, 17. 

v. 21 ; vi. 6-9 . . .iii. 18-22 ; iv. 1. 

vi. 19 "....iv. 3. 

v. 16 "....iv. 5. 

vi. 21 "....iv. 7. 



This resemblance, thus carried almost through the epistle, shows 
that there was a similarity of condition in the two churches in refer- 
ence to the dangers to which they were exposed ; to the kind of phi- 
losophy which prevailed ; to the false teachers who might have an 
influence over them ; and to the particular duties to which it was de- 
sirable their attention should be turned. There is, indeed, some con- 
siderable variety of phraseology in the discussion of these topics, bat 
still the resemblance is remarkable, and would indicate Jfcat the epis- 
tles were written not far from the same time, and clearly by the same 
person. It is remarkable, among other things, as Michaelis has ob- 
served, that it is only in these two epistles that the apostle warns his 
readers against lying. Eph.iv.25. Col. iii. 9. Hence we may conclude 
that this vice was one that particularly prevailed in the region where 
these churches were situated, and that the members of these churches 
had been particularly addicted to this vice before their conversion. 

§ 6. The Epistle from Laodicea. 

In chap.iv. 16 of this epistle, the apostle gives this direction : "And 
when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the 
Church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the epistle from 
Laodicea." The former part of this verse is clear, and the direction 
was given, probably, because the churches of Colosse and Laodicea 
were in the vicinity of each other, and the instructions were adapted 
to both churches. Doubtless the same form of philosophy prevailed, 
and the churches were exposed to the same errors. But it is not so 
clear what is meant by the " epistle from Laodicea." The most nat- 
ural and obvious interpretation would be, that Paul had sent a letter 
also to that Church, and that he wished them to procure it and read 
it. But no such epistle is now extant, and, consequently, much diffi- 
culty has been felt in determining what the apostle referred to. A 
brief examination of the opinions entertained on the subject seems 
necessary in this place. They are the following : 

1. It has been supposed that the reference is to a letter sent from 
the Laodiceans to Paul, proposing to him some questions which they 
desired him to answer, and that he now wishes the Colossians to pro- 
cure that letter, in order that they might more fully understand the 
drift of the epistle which he sent to them. This opinion, was held by 
Theodoret, and has been defended by S.torr, RosenmtUler, and ethers. 
But the objections to it are obvious and conclusive, (l.)It is not the 
fair meaning of the language used by Paul, If he had referred to a 
letter to him, he would have said so ; whereas the obvious meaning of 
the language used is, that the Colossians were to procure a letter in, 
the possession of the Laodiceans, in exchange for the one which they 



ccxxvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



mgw received from Paul. The cliurclies were to make an exchange 
of letters, and one Church was to read that which had been addressed 
to the other. (2.) If the letter had been addressed to Paul, it was 
doubtless in his possession ; and if he wished the Church at Colosse 
to read it, nothing would be more natural or obvious than to send it, 
by Tychicus, along with the letter which he now sent. "Why should 
he give directions to send to Laodicea to procure a copy of it ? (3.) 
If a letter had been sent to him by the Laodiceans, proposing certain 
questions, why did he send the answer to the Church at Colosse, and 
not to the Church at Laodicea ? The Church at Laodicea would cer- 
tainly have been the one that was entitled to the reply. There would 
have been a manifest impropriety in sending an epistle to one Church, 
made up of answers to questions proposed by another, and then, at 
the end, requesting them to procure those questions, that they might 
understand tiie epistle. (4.) It may be added that it is not necessary 
to suppose immt there was any such epistle in order to understand this 
epistle to the Colossians. This is not more difficult of interpretation 
than the other epistles of Paul, and it does not furnish in its structure 
any particular evidence that it was sent in answer to inquiries which 
had been proposed to the author. 

2. It has been sujyposed by some that the epistle referred to was one 
written to Timothy, by the apostle himself, at Laodicea. This opinion 
was defended by Theophylact, The only show of authority for it is 
the subscription at the end of the First Epistle to Timothy — " The 
first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city 
of Phrygia Pacatiana." But that this is erroneous can be easily shown. 
(1.) The subscription to the epistle to Timothy is of no authority. (2.) 
If this epistle had been referred t^Paul would not have designated 
it in this manner. It would have been rather by mentioning the per- 
son to whom it was addressed, than the place where it was written. 
(3.) There is nothing in the epistle to Timothy which would throw 
any important light on this to the Colossians, or which would be par- 
ticularly important to them as a Church. It was addressed to an in- 
dividual, and it contains counsels adapted to a minister of the Gosj^el 
rather than to a Church. 

3. Many have supposed that the " epistle from Laodicea," referred 
to, was one which Paul had written to the Laodiceans, partly for then- 
use, but which was of the nature of a circular epistle, and that we still 
have it under another name. Those who hold this opinion suppose 
that the epistle to the Ephesians is the one referred to, and that it 
was, in fact, sent also to the Church at Laodicea, See this question 
treated at length in the Introduction to the Epistle to the Ephesians, 
§ 5. The reasons for supposing that the epistle now known as the 
"Epistle to the Ephesians" was neither a circular letter, nor addressed 
to the Church at Laodicea, are there given. But if the common read- 
ing of the text in Eph. i. 1, "the saints which are at Eirtesus" be cor- 
rect, then it is clear that that epistle was really sent to the Church in 
that place. The only question, then, is whether it is of so general a 
character that it might as well be sent to other churches as to that, 
and whether Paul actually sent it as a circular, with a direction ad- 
dressed to different churches? Against this supposition there are 



INTRODUCTION. 



ccxxvii 



strong improbabilities. (1.) It is contrary to the usual practice of 
Paul. He addressed letters to particular churches and individuals; 
and, unless this case be one, there is no evidence that he ever adopted 
the practice of sending the same letter to different individuals or 
churches. (2.) There would have been some impropriety in it, if not 
dishonesty. An avowed circular letter, addressed to churches in gen- 
eral, or to any number whose names are enumerated, would be perfect- 
ly honest. But how would this be if the same letter was addressed to 
one church, and then, with a new direction, addressed to another, with 
no intimation of its circular character ? Would there not be a species 
of concealment in this which we should not expect of Paul ? (3.) How 
happens it, if this had occurred, that all remembrance of it was forgot- 
ten ? When those epistles were collected, would not the attention be 
called to the fact, and some record of it be found in some ancient 
writer ? Would it fail to be adverted to that th# same epistle had 
been found to have been addressed to different churches, with a mere 
change in the name ? 

4. There is but one other opinion which can exist on this question, 
and that is, that the apostle refers to some letter which had been sent 
to the Laodiceans which we have not now in the New Testament. If 
this be so, then the reference could only be to some epistle which may 
be extant elsewhere, or which is now lost. There is an epistle extant 
which is known by the name of " St. Paul's Epistle to the Laodiceans," 
but it has no well-founded claims to being a genuine epistle of Paul, 
and is universally regarded as a forgery. " It is," says Michaelis, " a 
mere rhapsody, collected from St. Paul's other epistles, and which no 
critic can receive as a genuine work of the apostle. It contains noth- 
ing which it was necessary for the Colossians to know ; nothing which 
is not ten times ^better and more fully explained in the epistle which 
St. Paul sent to the Colossians; in short, nothing which could be suit- 
able to St. Paul's design." — Introd. to the N. Test., iv., 127. The Greek 
of this epistle may be found at length in Michaelis ; and, as it may be 
a matter of curiosity, and will show that this can not be the epistle 
referred to by Paul in Col.JLv. 16, 1 will subjoin here a translation. It 
is as follows : "Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by men, but by 
J esus Christ, to the brethren in Laodicea. Grace, be to you, and peace, 
from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my 
God in Christ always in my prayers, that you are mindful of and are 
persevering in good works, waiting for the promise in the day of 
judgment. And let not the vain speeches of some who would conceal 
the truth disturb you, to turn you away from the truth of the Gospel 
which has been preached unto you. Now God grant that all they 
who are of me may be borne forward to the perfection of the truth of 
the Gospel, to perform those excellent good works which become the 
salvation of eternal life. And now are my bonds manifest, in which 
bonds I am in Christ, and at the present time ; but I rejoice, for I 
know that this shall be for the furtherance of my salvation, which is 
through your prayer and the supply of the Holy Ghost, whether by 
life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is joy. But 
our Lord himself shall grant you his mercy with us, that possessing 
love you may be of the same mind, and^hink the same thing. On 



ccxxviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



this account, brethren, as ye have heard of the appearing of the Lord, 
so think and do in the fear of God, and it shall be eternal life to you, 
for it is God who worketh in you. Do all things without murrnurings 
and disputings. And for the remainder, brethren, rejoice in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and see that ye keep yourselves from all base gain of 
covetousness. Let all your requests be made known with boldness 
unto God, and be firm in the mind of Christ. And finally, brethren, 
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever 
things are holy, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are love- 
ly, these things do. And what you have heard and received, keep in 
your hearts, and it shall give you peace. Salute all the brethren with 
a holy kiss. All the saints salute you. The grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Cause that this epistle be read 
in the Church of th^ Colossians, and do you also read the epistle from 
Colosse." Nothing can be plainer than that this is not such an epis- 
tle as the apostle Paul would have written, and it is therefore a mere 
forgery. The conclusion to which we are conducted is, that the refer- 
ence in Col. iv. 16 is to some epistle of Paul to the Church at Laodicea 
which is not now extant, and that the probability is, that, having ac- 
complished the object for which it was sent, it has been suffered to be 
lost. Thus it is to be numbered with the waitings of Gad, and Iddo 
the seer, and Nathan, and the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and 
the book of Jehu (1 Chron. xix. 29. 2 Chron. ix. 29 ; xx. 34. 1 Kings 
xvi. 1) ; works which, having accomplished the object for which they 
were composed, have been suffered to become extinct. Nor is there 
any thing improbable or absurd in the supposition that an inspired 
book may have been lost. There is no special sacredness in a mere 
writing, or in the fact that inspired truth was recorded, that makes it 
indispensable that it should be preserved. The oral "discourses of the 
Saviour were as certainly inspired as the writing of Paul, and yet but 
a small part of what he said has been preserved. John xxi. 25. Why 
should there be any improbability in supposing that an inspired took 
may also have been lost ? And if it has, how does that fact weaken 
the evidence of the genuineness or the value of what we now possess ? 
How does the fact that a large part of the sermons of the Saviour 
have perished by not being recorded, diminish the value or lessen the 
evidence of the divine authority of the Sermon on the Mount ? 



EPISTLE TO THfi COLOSSIANS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAUL, 0 an apostle of Jesus 
Christ, by the will of God, and 
Timotheus our brother. 

2 To the saints b and faithful 
brethren in Christ which are at 

aEph. 1.1. 6 Psa. 16. 3. 



CHAPTER I. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This chapter embraces the follow- 
ing topics : 

(1.) The usual salutation to the 
Church. Vs. 1,2. 

(2.) Thanks to God for what he had 
done for the Colossians, and for the 
fruits of the Gospel among them. Vs. 
3-8. 

(3.) Prayer that they might perse- 
vere in the same course, and might 
walk worthy of their calling. Ver. 
9-11. 

(4.) An exhortation to render thanks 
to God for what he had done for them, 
in redemption. Ver. 12-14. 

(5.) A statement of the exalted dig- 
nity of the Redeemer. Ver. 15-18. 

(6.) A statement of what he had done 
in the work of redemption, in making 
peace by the blood of his cross, and 
reconciling the world to God. Vs. 
19, 20. 

(7.) Through this Gospel, Paul says, 
they had been reconciled to God, and 
were now brought into a state in 
which they might be presented as holy 
and unblamable in his sight. Vs. 21- 
23. 

(8.) Of this Gospel, Paul says he was 
a minister; in preaching it he had been 
called to endure trials, but those trials 
he endured with joy; and in preach- 
ing it he used the utmost diligence, 
warning every man, and teaching ev- 
ery man in all wisdom, that he might 
present every one perfect in Christ 
Jesus. Ver. 24^29. 

1. Paul, an cmostle of Jesus Christ. 
See Notes on Ma. i. 1. ^ By the will 
of God. See Notes on 1 Cor. i. 1. ^ And 
Timotheus our brother. On the ques- 



Colosse : c Grace ~be unto you, and 
peace, from God our Father, and 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 

3 We d give thanks to God and 
the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, praying always for you, 

e Gal. 1.3. d Eph. 1. 15, 16. 



tion why Paul associated others with 
him in his epistles, see Notes on 1 Cor. 
i. 1. There was a particular reason why 
Timothy should be associated with 
him in writing this epistle. He was a 
native of the region where the Church 
was situated (Acts xvi. 1-3), and had 
been with Paul when he preached 
there, and was doubtless well known 
to the Church there. Acts xvi. 6. It 
is evident, however, from the manner 
in which Paul mentions him here, that 
he did not regard him as 11 an apostle," 
and did not wish the Church at Co- 
losse to consider him as such. It is 
not "Paul and Timothy, apostles of 
Jesus Christ," but "Paul, an apostle 
of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our broth- 
er." Paul is careful never to appty 
the term apostle^p Timothy. Phil. i. 
1. "Paul and Timotheus, the servants 
of Jesus Christ." Com p. 1 Thess. i. 1. 
2 Thess. i. 1. If he had regarded Tim- 
othy as an apostle, or as having apos- 
tolic authority, it is not easy to con- 
ceive why he should not have referred 
to him as such in these letters to the 
churches. Could he have failed to see 
that the manner in which he referred 
to him was adapted to produce a very 
important difference in the estimate 
in which he and Timothy would be 
held by the Colossians ? 

2. Grace be unto you. See Notes on 
Rom. i. 7. 

3. We give thanks to God. See Notes 
on the parallel place in Eph. i. 15, 10. 
^Praying always for you. See Notes 
on Rom. i. 9. Eph. i. 16. Compare 1 
Thess. i. 2. 

4. Sinceiveheard of your faith in Christ 
Jesus. To wit, by Epaphras, who had 
informed Paul of the steadfastness of 
their faith and love. Vs. 7, 8. This 
does not prove that Paul had never 



230 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



4 Since we heard of your faith 
in Christ Jesus, and of the love 
which ye have to all the saints ; 

5 For the hope which is laid up ° 
for you in heaven, whereof ye 
heard before in the word of the 
truth of the gospel, 



a 2 Tim. 4. 8. 1 Pet. 1.4. 
c Jno. 15. 16. 



b ver. 23. 

d Rom. 10. 17. 



6 Which is come unto you, as it 
is in all b the world ; and bringeth 
c forth fruit as it doth also in you, 
since the day ye heard d of it, and 
knew the e grace of God in truth/ 

7 As ye also learned of^Epa- 
phras our dear fellow-servant, who 

/Jno. 4. 23. 



eTit. 2.11,12. 
g Philem. 23. 



9 been at Colosse, or that he did not 
establish the Church there, for he uses 
a similar expression respecting the 
Church at Ephesus (Eph. i. 15), of 
which he was undoutbedly the found- 
er. The meaning is, that he had heard 
of their faith at that time, or of their 
perseverance in faith and love. If And 
of the love which ye have to all the saints. 
In what way they had manifested this 
is not known. It would seem that 
Paul had been informed that this was 
a character of their piety, that they 
had remarkable love for all who bore 
the Christian name. Nothing could 
be more acceptable information re- 
specting them to one who himself so 
ardently loved the Church, and noth- 
ing could have furnished better evi- 
dence that they were influenced by 
the true spirit of religion. Comp. 1 
John iii. 14. 

5. For the hope which is laid up for 
you in heaven. That is, " I give thanks' 
that there is such a hope laid up for 
you." The evidence ^hich he had that 
this hope was theirsrwas founded on 
the faith and love to the saints which 
he heard they had evinced. He fully 
believed that where there was such 
faith and love, there was a well-found- 
ed hope of heaven. The word "hope" 
here is used, as it often is, for the thing 
hoped for. The object of hope — to wit, 
eternal happiness, was reserved for 
them in heaven. If Whereof ye heard 
before. When the Gospel was first 
preached to you. Ton were told of 
the blessed rewards of a life of faith 
in heaven. If In the word of the truth 
of the Gospel. In the true word of the 
Gospel. 

6. Which is come unto you. It has not 
been confined to the Jews, or limited 
to the narrow country where it was 
first preached, but has been sent 
abroad to the Gentile world. The ob- 
ject of the apostle here seems to be 
to excite in them a sense of gratitude 
that the Gospel had been sent to them. 
It was owing entirely to the goodness 



of God in sending them the Gospel 
that they had this hope of eternal life. 
If As it is in all the world. It is con- 
fined to no place or people, but is de- 
signed to be a universal religion. It 
is confined to no place or people, but 
is designed to be a universal religion. 
It offers the same blessedness in heav- 
en to all. Comp. Notes on verse 23. 
If And blunging forth fruit. The fruits 
of righteousness or good living. See 
Notes on 2 Cor. ix. 10. The meaning 
is, that the Gospel was not without 
effect wherever it was preached. The 
same results were observable every 
where else as in Colosse, that it pro- 
duced most salutary influences on the 
hearts and lives of those who received 
it. On the nature of the "fruits" of 
religion, see Notes on Gal. v. 22, 23. 
Tf Since the day ye heard of it. It has 
constantly been producing these 
fruits since you first heard it preached. 
% And knew the grace of God in truth. 
Since the time ye knew the trice grace 
of God ; since you became acquainted 
with the real benevolence which God 
has manifested in the Gospel. The 
meaning is, that ever since they had 
heard the Gospel, it had been pro- 
ducing among them abundantly its 
appropriate fruit, and that the same 
thing had also characterized it wher- 
ever it had been dispensed. 

7. As ye also learned of Epaphras. 
Epaphras was then with Paul. Phi- 
lem. 23. He had probably been sent 
to him by the Church at Colosse to 
consult him in reference to some mat- 
ters pertaining to the Church there. 
It is evident from this that Epaphras 
was a minister of the Church at Co- 
losse, though there is no evidence, as 
has been often supposed, that he was 
the founder of the Church. The apos- 
tle here says that they had learned 
from Epaphras the true nature of the 
Gospel, and he designs undoubtedly to 
confirm what he hajitfaught them, in 
opposition to the teachings of error- 
ists. See the Introduction, § 4. He 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



231 



is for you a faithful minister of 
Christ ; 

8 Who also declared unto us 
your love a in the Spirit. 

9 For this cause we also, since 
the day we heard it, do not cease 
to pray for you, and to desire that 
ye might be filled with the knowl- 



a Rom. 15. \ 
c Psa. 119. S 



6 Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 5. 10, 17. 
njno.5. 20. e Philip. 1.27. 



edge of his will, 6 in all wisdom c 
and spiritual understanding ; d 

10 That ye might walk worthy e 
of the Lord unto all pleasing/ be- 
ing ? fruitful in every good work, 
and increasing h in the knowledge 
of God ; 

11 Strengthened • with all might, 



/l Thess.4. 1. 
h 2 Pet. 3. 18. 



pjno. 15.8,16. 
i Isa. 45. 24. 



had doubtless conferred with Epa- 
phras respecting the doctrines which 
he had taught there. 1f Our dear fel- 
low-servant. This shows that Paul had 
contracted a strong friendship for 
Epaphras. There is no reason to be- 
lieve that he had known him before, 
but his acquaintance with him now 
had served to attach him strongly to 
him. It is possible, as has been con- 
jectured (see the Introduction), that 
there was a party in the Church at 
Colosse opposed to Epaphras and to 
the doctrines which he preached, and 
if this were so, Paul's strong expres- 
sion of attachment for him would do 
much to silence the opposition. 
If Who is for you a faithf ul minister of 
Christ. " For you," alike when he is 
with you, and when employed in man- 
aging your interests here. 

8. Who also declared unto us your love 
in the Spirit. The love wrought in 
you by the Holy Spirit, It was not 
mere natural affection, but love 
wrought in their hearts by the agency 
of the Holy Ghost. 

9. Do not cease to pray for you. Ver. 
3. The progress which they had al- 
ready made, and the tove which they 
had shown, constituted an encourage- 
ment for prayer, and a reason why 
higher blessings still should be 
sought. We always feel stimulated 
and encouraged to pray for those who 
are doing well. If That ye might be fill- 
ed with the knowledge of his will. They 
had shown by their faith and love that 
they were disposed to do his will, and 
the apostle now prays that they might 
be fully acquainted with what he 
would have them do. He offered a 
similar prayer in behalf of the Ephe- 
sians. See the parallel place in Eph. 
i. 17-19, and the Notes on those verses. 
^In all wisdom. That you may be 
truly wise in all things. Eph. i. 17. 

* Tf And spiritual understanding. In un- 
derstanding those things that pertain 
to the Spirit ;" that is, those things 



taught by the Holy Spirit, and those 
which he produces in the work of sal- 
vation. See Notes on 1 Cor. ii. 12, 13. 
Comp. Uohn ii. 20; v. 20. 

10. That ye might walk worthy of the 
Lord. That you may live as becomes 
the followers of the Lord. How this 
was to be done he states in this and 
the following verses. Tf Unto all pleas- 
ing. So as to please him in all things. 
Comp. Heb. xi. 5. If Being fruitful in 
every good work. This is one way in 
which we are to walk worthy of the 
Lord, and so as to please him. See 
Notes on John xv. 8. *\And increas- 
ing in the knowledge of God. This is 
another way in which we may walk 
worthy of the Lord, and so as to please 
him. It is by endeavoring to become 
better acquainted with his true char- 
acter. God is pleased with those who 
desire to understand what he is ; what 
he does; what he purposes; what he 
commands. Hence he not only com- 
mands us to study his works (comp. 
Psa. cxi. 2), but he has made a world 
so beautiful as to invite us to contem- 
plate his perfections as reflected in 
that world. All good beings desire 
that others should understand their 
character, and God delights in those 
who are sincerely desirous of know 
ing what he is, and who inquire with 
humility and reverence into his coun- 
sels and will. Men are often displeased 
when others attempt to look into 
their plans, for they are sensible they 
will not bear the light of investiga- 
tion. God has no plans which would 
not be seen to be, in the highest de- 
gree, glorious to him. 

1 1. Strengthened with all might. This 
was also an object of Paul's earnest 
prayer. He desired that they might 
be strengthened for the performance 
of duty; to meet temptations ; and 
% bear up under the various trials of 
life. 1f According to his glorious power. 
Not by any human means, but by the 
nower of God. There is a nnmifesta- 



232 



COLOSSIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



according to his glorious power, [ ther, which hath made us rneet c 
unto all patience a and long-suffer- to be partakers of the inheritance 



ing, with joyfulness ; 6 
12 Giving thanks unto the Fa- 



d of the saints in light : 
13 Who hath delivered us from 



tion of power in the spirit with which 
Christians are enabled to bear up un- 
der trials, which shows that it is not 
of human origin. It is the power 
which God gives them in the day of 
trial. This power is "glorious," or, 
as it is in the Greek, it is the "power 
of his glory." It is manifestly the 
power of the great and glorious God, 
and it tends to promote his glory, and 
to show forth his praise. If U?tto all 
patience. So that you may be enabled 
to bear your trials without murmur- 
ing. It is only the power of God that 
can enable us to do that. ^ A?id long- 
suffering. See Notes on 1 Cor. xiii. 4. 
T[ With joyfulness. See Notes on Rom. 
v. 3. 2 Cor. vii. 4. The Syriac ver- j 
sion, Chrysostom, and a few MSS. at- 
tach this to the following verse, and 
read it, "With joyfulness giving 1 
thanks to the Father," etc. The only 
difference is in the pointing, and either 
reading makes good sense. 

12. Giving thanks to the Father. This | 
is another mode by which we may j 
"walk worthy of the Lord, unto all j 
pleasing" (ver. 10), to wit, by render- j 
ing appropriate thanks to God for his 1 
mercy. The particular point which the 
apostle here says demanded thanks- 
giving was, that they had been called 
from the kingdom of darkness to the j 
kingdom of light. This had been done j 
by the special mercy of the Father, | 
who had provided the plan of salva- , 
tion, and had sent his Son to redeem 
them. The connection shows that the 
word "father" refers, in this place, not j 
to God as the father of his creatures, | 
but to the Father as distinguished j 
from the Son. It is the "Father" who 
has translated us into the kingdom of 
the "Son." Our especial thanks are 
due to the "Father" in this, as he is 
represented as the great Author of j 
the whole plan of salvation— as he \ 
who sent his Son to redeem us. \Who j 
hath made us meet. The word here : 
used — LKavou)— means properly to make j 
sufficient, from [kcci/os, sufficient, abun- j 
dant, much. The word conveys the j 
idea of having sufficient or enough to* 
accomplish any thing. See it ex- ! 
plained in the Notes on 2 Cor. iii. 6. j 
The verb is not elsewhere used in th^ 1 



New Testament. In its use here, there 
seems to be implied the idea of con- 
ferring the privilege or the ability to be 
thus made the partakers of the king- 
dom, and the idea also of rendering us 
fit for it. The sense is, he has con- 
ferred on us grace sufficient to make it 
proper that we should partake of the 
blessings of his kingdom. In regard 
to this "fitness" or " meetness" for 
that kingdom, we may remark, (1.) 
that it does not mean that we are ren- 
dered fit by our own merits, or by 
any thing which we have done ; for it 
is expressly said that it is God who 
has thus rendered us "meet" for it. 
No one, by his own merits, ever made 
himself fit for heaven. His good works 
can not be an equivalent for the eter- 
nal rewards of heaven; nor is the 
heart, when unrenewed, even in the 
best state, fit for the society and the 
employments of heaven. There is no 
adaptedness of such a heart, however 
amiable and however refined, to the 
pure spiritual joys of the upper world. 
Those joys are the joys of religion, of 
the love of God, of pleasure in holi- 
ness; and the unrenewed heart can 
never be wrought up to a fitness to en- 
ter into those joys. Yet (2.) there is 
a fitness or meetness which Christians 
possess for heaven. It consists in two 
things. First, in their having com- 
plied with the conditions on which 
God promises heaven, so that, al- 
though they have no merit in them 4 
selves, and no fitness by their own 
works, they have that meetness which 
results from having complied with the 
terms of favor. They have truly re- 
pented of their sins, and believed in the 
Redeemer, and they are thus in the 
proper state of mind to receive the 
mercy of God ; for, according to the 
terms of mercy, there is a propriety 
that pardon should be bestowed on 
the penitent, and peace on the believ- 
ing. A child that is truly broken- 
hearted for a fault is in a fit state of 
mind to be forgiven ; a proud, and ob- 
stinate, and rebellious child is not. 
Seco7idly, there is, in fact, a fitness in 
the Christian for the participation of 
the inheritance of the saints in light. 
He has a state of feeling that is adapt- 



A.D. 64. J 



CHAPTER I. 



233 



the power of darkness," and hath 
translated us into the kingdom of 
1 his dear Son ; 

a 1 Pet. 2. 9. 1 the Son of his love. 



14 In 6 whom we have redemp- 
tion through his blood, even the 
forgiveness of sins : 

5 Eph. 1.7. 



ed to that. There is a congruity 
between his feelings and heaven — a 
state of mind that can be satisfied with 
nothing but heaven. He has in his 
heart substantially the same princi- 
ples which reign in heaven ; and he is 
fitted to find happiness only in the 
same objects in which the inhabitants 
of heaven do. He loves the same God 
and Saviour; he has pleasure in the 
same truths ; he prefers, as they do, 
holiness to sin ; and, like the inhab- 
itants of heaven, he would choose to 
seek his pleasure in holy living rather 
than in the ways of vanity. His pref- 
erences are all on the side of holiness 
and virtue; and, with such prefer- 
ences, he is fitted for the enjoyments 
of heaven. In character, views, feel- 
ings, and preferences, therefore, the 
Christian is made "fit" to participate 
in the employments and joys of the 
saints in light. 1 To be partakers of the 
inheritance. The privileges of religion 
are often represented as an heirship, 
or an inheritance. See Notes on Rom. 
viii. 17. If Of the saints in light. Called, 
in ver. 13, ''the kingdom of his dear 
Son." This is a kingdom of light, as 
opposed to the kingdom of darkness 
in which they formerly were. In the 
East, and particularly in Persia, there 
prevailed early the belief that there 
were two great kingdoms in the uni- 
verse — that of light and that of dark- 
ness. We find traces of this opinion 
in the Scriptures, where the kingdom 
of God is called "light," and that of 
Satan is called "darkness." These are, 
of course, figurative expressions, but 
they convey important truth Light, 
in the Scriptures, is the emblem of 
holiness, knowledge, happiness; and 
all these are found in the kingdom 
over which God presides, and of which 
Christians are the heirs. According- 
ly, we find the word light often used 
to describe this kingdom. Thus it is 
said of God, who presides over it, that 
he " is light, and in him is no darkness 
at all,"Uohn i.5; of Christ, that he 
is " the light of men," John i. 4 ; that 
he is "the true light," John i. 9; that 
he is "the light of the world," John 
viii. 12. Compare xii. 35. Luke ii. 32. 
The angels of that kingdom are "an- 
gels of light," 2 Cor. xi. 14. Those 



who compose that kingdom on earth 
are "the children of light," Luke xvi. 
8. 1 Thess. v. 5. And all the descrip- 
tions of that kingdom in heaven rep- 
resent it as filled with light and glory. 
Isa. lx. 19. Rev. xx. 23 ; xxii. 5. 

13. Who hath delivered us from the 
power of darkness. The power exert- 
ed over us in that dark kingdom to 
which we formerly belonged— the 
kingdom of Satan. The characteris- 
tic of this empire is darkness — the em- 
blem of (1.) sin; (2.) error; (3.) mis- 
ery and death. Over us, by nature, 
these things had uncontrolled power ; 
but now we are delivered from them, 
and brought to the enjoyment of the 
privileges of those who are connected 
with the kingdom of light. Darkness 
is often used to represent the state in 
which men are by nature. Compare 
Luke i. 79. Acts xxvi. 18. Rom. xiii. 
12. 1 Pet. ii. 9. 1 John ii. 8. 1 And 
hath translated us. The word here ren- 
dered "translated" is often used in the 
sense of removing a people from one 
country to another. See' Josephus, 
Ant., ix., 11, 1. It means, here, that 
they who are Christians have been 
transferred from one kingdom to an- 
other, as if a people were thus re- 
moved. They become subjects of a 
new kingdom, are under different laws, 
and belong to a different community. 
This change is made in regeneration, 
by which we pass from the kingdom 
of darkness to the kingdom of light; 
from the empire of sin, ignorance, and 
misery, to that of holiness, knowledge, 
and happiness. No change, therefore, 
in a man's life is so important as this, 
and no words can suitably express the 
gratitude which they should feel who 
are thus transferred from the empire 
of darkness to that of light. 

14. In whom we have redemption. See 
this explained in the Notes on Eph. i. 
7. The passage here proves that we 
obtain forgiveness of sins through the 
blood of Christ ; but it does not prove 
that this is all that we obtain through 
that blood. 

15. Who is the image of the invisible 
God — s'lkoju tou Qeov tou aopcLTov. The 

object here, as it is in the parallel 
place in Eph. i. 20-23, is to give a just 
view of the exaltation of the Redeem- 



234 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



er. It is probable that, in both cases, 
the design is to meet some erroneous 
opinion on this subject that prevailed 
in those churches, or among those 
that claimed to be teachers there. See 
the Introduction to this epistle, and 
comp. the Notes on Eph. i. 20-23. For 
the meaning of the phrase occurring 
here, "the image of the invisible God" 
see the Notes on Heb. i. 3, and 2 Cor. 
iv. 4. See the word image — sIkwv — ex- 
plained in the Notes on Heb. x. 1. It 
properly denotes that which is a copy 
or delineation of a thing; which ac- 
curately and fully represents it, in con- 
tradistinction from a rough sketch or 
outline. Comp. Rom. viii. 29. 1 Cor. 
xi. 7; xv. 49. According to this, the 
idea here is, that the being and perfec- 
tions of God are accurately and fully 
represented by Christ, as an image, fig- 
ure, or drawing represents the object 
which it is made to resemble. In what 
respects particularly he was thus a 
representative of God, the apostle pro- 
ceeds to state in the following verses, 
to wit, in his creative power; in his 
eternal existence ; in his heirship over 
the universe; and in the fullness that 
dwelt in him. This can not refer to 
him merely as incarnate, for some of 
the things affirmed of him pertained 
to him before his incarnation ; and the 
idea is, that in all things Christ fairly 
represents to us^he divine nature and 
perfections. God is manifest to us 
through him. 1 Tim. iii. 16. We see 
God in him as we see an object in that 
which is in all respects an exact copy 
of it. God is invisible. No eye has 
seen him, or can see him ; but in what 
Christ is, and has done in the works 
of creation and redemption, we have a 
fair and full representation of what 
God is. See Notes on John i. 18; xiv. 
9. H The first-born of every creature. 
Among all the creatures of God, or 
over all his creation, occupying the 
rank and pre-eminence of the first- 
born. The first-born, or the eldest 
son, among the Hebrews, had pecul- 
iar privileges. He was entitled to a 
double portion of the inheritance. It 
has been, also, and especial^ in Ori- 
ental countries, a common Thing for 
the eldest son to succeed to the estate 
and the title of his father. In early 
times, the first-born son was the offi- 
ciating priest in the family, in the ab- 
sence or on the death of the father. 
There can be no doubt that the apos- 
tle here has reference to the usual dis- 



tinctions and honors conferred on the 
first-born, and means to say that, 
among the creatures of God, Christ 
occupied a pre-eminence similar to 
that. He does not say that in all re- 
| spects he resembled the first-born in 
a family, nor does he say that he him- 
self was a creature, for the point of 
his comparison does not turn on these 
things, and what he proceeds to affirm 
respecting him is inconsistent with 
the idea of his being a created being. 
He that "created all things that are 
in heaven and that are in earth" was 
not himself created. That the apostle 
did not mean to represent him as a 
creature is also manifest from the rea- 
son which he assigns why he is called 
the first-born. "He is the image of 
God, and the first-born of every creat- 
ure, for — otl — by him were all things 
created." That is, he sustains the el- 
evated rank of the first-born, or a high 
eminence over the creation, because by 
him "all things were created in heav- 
en and in earth." The language here 
used, also, does not fairly imply that 
he was a creature, or that he was in 
nature and rank on a level with those 
in relation to whom it is said he was 
the first-born. It is true that the 
word first-born— TrptoToVoKos — prop- 
erly means the first-born child of a 
father or mother, Matt. i. 25, Luke ii. 
7, or the first-born of animals. But 
two things are also to be remarked in 
regard to the use of the word : (1.) It 
does not necessarily imply that any 
one is born afterwards in the family, 
for it would be used of the first-born, 
though an only child; and (2.) it is 
used to denote one who is chief, or 
who is highly distinguished and pre- 
eminent. Thus it is employed in Rom, 
viii. 29, "That he might be the first- 
born among many brethren." So, in 
ver. 18 of this chapter, it is said that 
he was "the first- born from the dead;" 
not that he was literally the first that 
was raised from the dead, which was 
not the fact, but that he might be pre- 
eminent among those that are raised. 
Compare Exod. iv. 22. The meaning, 
then, is, that Christ sustains the most 
exalted rank in the universe ; that he 
is pre-eminent above all others ; that 
he is at the head of all things. The 
expression does not mean that he was 
" begotten before all creatures," as it 
is often explained, but refers to the 
simple fact that he sustains the high- 
est rank over the creation. He is the 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



235 



15 Who is the image a of the in- 
visible God, the first-toom of every 
creature : 

aHeb. 1.3. 

Son of God. He is the heir of all 
things. All other creatures are also 
the " offspring of God," but he is ex- 
alted as the Son of God above all. 

16. For by him were all things created. 
This is one of the reasons why he is 
called "the image of God" and the 
" first-born." He makes God known 
to us by his creative power, and by 
the same power in creation shows 
that he is exalted over all things as 
the Son of God. The phrase which is 
here used by the apostle is universal. 
He does not declare that he created 
all things in the spiritual kingdom of 
God, or that he arranged the events 
of the Gospel dispensation, as Socini- 
ans suppose (see Crellius); but that 
every thing was created by him. A 
similar form of expression occurs in 
John i. 3. See Notes on that verse. 
There could not possibly be a more 
explicit declaration that the universe 
was created by Christ than this. As 
if the simple declaration in the most 
comprehensive terms were not 
enough', the apostle goes into a speci- 
fication of things existing in heaven 
and earth, and so varies the statement 
as if to prevent the possibility of mis- 
take, if That are in heaven. The di- 
vision of the universe into "heaven 
and earth" is natural and obvious, for 
it is the one that is apparent. See 
Gen. i. 1. Heaven, then, according to 
this division, will embrace all the uni- 
verse except the earth, and will include 
the heavenly bodies and their*inhab- 
itants— the distant worlds— as well as 
heaven more strictly so called where 
God resides. The declaration, then, 
is, that all things that are in the worlds 
above us were the work of his crea- 
tive power. ^And that are in earth. 
All the animals, plants, minerals, wa- 
ters, hidden fires, etc. Every thing 
which the earth contains. 11 Visible 
and invisible. We see but a small part 
of the universe. The angels we can 
not see. The inhabitants of distant 
worlds we can not see. Nay, there 
are multitudes of worlds which, even 
with the best instruments, we can not 
see. Yet all these things are said to 
have been created by Christ. H Wheth- 
er they be thrones. Whether those in- 
visible things be thrones. The refer- 



16 For by him b were all things 
created that are in heaven, and 
that are in earth, visible and invis- 

b Jno. 1.3. 

ence is to the ranks of angels, called 
here thrones, dominions, etc. See Notes 
on Eph. i. 21. The word "thrones" 
does not occur in the parallel place in 
Ephesians ; but there can be no doubt 
that the reference is to an order of an- 
gelic beings, as those to whom domin- 
ion and power were intrusted. The 
other orders enumerated here are also 
mentioned in Eph. i. 21. %All things 
were created by him. The repetition, 
and the varied statement here, are de- 
signed to express the truth with em- 
phasis, so that there could not be the 
possibility of mistake or misappre- 
hension. Comp. Notes on John i. 1- 
3. The importance of the doctrine, 
and the fact that it was probably de- 
nied by false teachers, or that they 
held philosophical opinions that tend- 
ed to its practical denial, are the rea- 
sons why the apostle dwells so partic- 
ularly on this point. U And for him. 
For his glory; for such purposes as 
he designed. There was a reference 
to himself in the work of creation, 
just as, when a man builds a house, it 
is with reference to some importaift 
purposes which he contemplates per- 
taining to himself. The universe was 
built by the Creator to be his own 
property ; to be the theatre on which 
he would accomplish his purposes; 
and to display his perfections. Par- 
ticularly the earth was made by the 
Son of God to be the place where he 
would become incarnate, and exhibit 
the wonders of redeeming love. There 
could not be a more positive declara- 
tion than this, that the universe was 
created by Christ ; and, if so, he is di- 
vine. The work of creation is the ex- 
ertion of the highest power of which 
we can form a conception, and is oft- 
en appealed to in the Scriptures by 
the true God to prove that he is di- 
vine, in contradistinction from idols. 
If, therefore, this passage be under- 
stood literally, it settles the question 
about the divinity of Christ. Accord- 
ingly, Unitarians have endeavored to 
show that the creation here referred 
to is a moral creation ; that it refers 
to the arrangement of affairs in the 
Christian Church ; or to the kingdom 
of God on earth, and not to the crea- 
tion of the material universe. This 



236 



C0L03SIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



ble, whether they ~be thrones, or do- 
minions, or principalities, or pow- 
ers : all things were created by a 
him and for him : 



17 And he is before 6 all things, 
and by him all things consist. 

18 And he is the head c of the 
body, the church ; who is the be- 



c Eph. 5. 



interpretation has been adopted even 
by Grotius, who supposes that it re- j 
fers to the arrangement by which all ; 
things are fitted up in the new crea- 
tion, and by which angels and -men are j 
reconciled. By the "things in heaven 
and in earth," some Unitarian expos- j 
itors have understood the Jews and 
the Gentiles, who are reconciled by 
the Gospel ; others, by the things in ! 
heaven, understand the angels, and 
by the things on earth, men, who are ' 
brought into harmony by the Gospel 
plan of salvation. But the objections 
to this interpretation are insuperable: 
(1.) The word created is not used in 
this sense properly, and can not be. j 
That it may mean to arrange, to reduce 
to order, is true; but it is not used in 
the sense of reconciling', or of bringing j 
discordant things into harmony. To i 
the great mass of men, who have no ! 
theory to support, it would be under- \ 
stood in its, natural and obvious sense, 
as denoting the literal creation. (2.) j 
The assertion is, that the "creative" j 
power of Christ was exerted on "all 
things." It is not in reference to an- 
gels only, or to men in general, or 
specifically to Jews or to Gentiles ; it 
is in relation to "every tiling in heaven 
and in earth;" that is, to the whole 
universe. Why should so universal a j 
declaration be supposed to denote I 
merely the intelligent creation? (3.) I 
With what propriety, or in what tol- ! 
erable sense, can the expression ' 
"things in heaven and things in earth' ' ; 
be applied to the Jews and Gentiles? : 
In what sense can it be said that they 
are "visible and invisible ?" And, if 
the language could be thus used, how 
can the fact that Christ is the means ; 
of reconciling them be a reason why 
he should be called " the image of the 
invisible God?" (4.) If it be under- 
stood of a moral creation; of a reno- ! 
vation of things ; of a change of na- 
tare; how can this be applied to the 
angels? Has Christ created them anew ? j 
Has he changed their nature and char- | 
acter? Good angels can not need a ( 
spiritual renovation ; and Christ did 
not come to convert fallen angels, and j 
to bring them into harmony with the j 
rest of the universe. (5.) The phrase 1 



here employed, of " creating all things 
in heaven and on earth," is never used 
elsewhere to denote a moral or spirit- 
ual creation. It appropriately ex- 
presses the creation of the universe. 
It is language strikingly similar to 
that used by Moses, Gen. i. 1; and it 
would be so understood by the great 
mass of mankind. If this be so, then 
Christ is divine, and we can see in this 
great work of creation a good reason 
why he is called " the image of the in- 
visible God," and why he is at the 
head of the universe — the first-born 
of the creation. It is because, through 
him, God is made known to us in the 
work of creation ; and because, being 
the great agent in that work, there is 
a propriety that he should occupy 
this position at the head of all things. 

17. And he is before all things. As he 
must be, if he created all things. Those 
who regard this as referring to a mor- 
al ^creation, interpret it as meaning 
that he has the pre-eminence over all 
things ; not as referring to his pre-ex- 
istence. But the fair and proper mean- 
ing of the word before (irpd) is, that he 
was before all things in the order of 
existence. Compare Matt. viii. 29. 
John xi. 55; xiii. 1. Acts v. 36; xxi. 
38. 2 Cor. xii. 2. It is equivalent to 
saying that he was eternal; for he 
that had an existence before arty thing 
was created must be eternal. Thus 
it is equivalent to the phrase "In the 
beginning." Gen. i. 1. Cornp. Xotes 
on John i. 1. ^And by him all thi?igs 
subsist. Or are sustained. See Xotes 
on Hebrews i. 3. The meaning is, that 
they are kept in the present state; 
their existence, order, and arrange- 
ment are continued by his power. If 
unsupported by him, they would fall 
into disorder, or sink back to nothing. 
If this be the proper interpretation, 
then it is the ascription to Christ of 
infinite power — for nothing less could 
be sufficient to uphold the universe ; 
and of infinite wisdom — for this is 
needed to preserve the harmonious 
action of the suns and systems of 
which it is composed. None could 
do this but one who is divine; and 
hence we see the reason why he is rep- 
resented as the image of the invisible 



A.D. 64.] 



^CHAPTER I. 



237 



ginning," the first-born from the 
dead ; that 1 in all things he might 
have the pre-eminence. 

a 1 Cor. 15. 20. 1 among all. 

God. He is the great, and glorious, 
and ever-active Agent by whom the 
perfections of God are made known. 

18. And he is the head of the body, the 
Church. See Notes on Eph. i. 22 ; v. 
23. ^Who is the beginning. -In all 
things — alike in the work of creation 
and m the Church. He is the fount- 
ain of authority and power; commences 
every thing that is designed to uphold 
the order of the universe, and to save 
the world. H The first-born from the 
dead. At the head of those who rise 
from their graves. This does not mean 
literally that he was the first who rose 
from the dead, for he himself raised 
up Lazarus and others, and the bodies 
of saints arose at his crucifixion ; but 
it means that he had the pre-eminence 
among them all; he was the most il- 
lustrious of those who will be raised 
from the dead, and is the head over 
them all. Especially he had this pre- 
eminence in the resurrection in this 
respect, that he was the first who rose 
from death to immortality. Others 
who were raised undoubtedly died 
again. Christ rose to die no more. 
See Notes on 1 Cor. xv. 20. 1[ That in 
all things. Margin, among all. The 
Greek will bear either construction, 
and either will accord with the scope 
of the apostle's remarks. If the for- 
mer, it means that he is at the head 
of all things— the universe; if the lat- 
ter, that he is chief among those who 
rose from the dead. Each of these is 
true, but the scope of the passage 
seems rather to require us to under- 
stand this of every thing, and to mean 
that all the arrangements respecting 
him were such as to give him suprem- 
acy over the universe. ^He might have 
the pre-eminence. Gr., might be first — 
irpooTEVMv. That is, might be first in 
rank, dignity, honor, power. He has 
the pre-eminence (1.) as over the uni- 
verse which he has formed— its crea- 
tor and proprietor; (2.) as chief 
among those who shall rise from the 
dead — since he first rose to die no 
more, and their resurrection depends 
on him ; (3.) as head of the Church- 
all synods, councils, and governments 
being subject to him, and he alone 
having a right to give law to his peo- 
ple; and (4.) in the affections of his 



19 For it pleased the Father that 
in him b should all fulness dwell ; 

20 And, 2 having made c peace 

b Jno. 1. 16. 2 or, making. c Eph. 2. 14-16. 

friends— being in their affections and 
confidence superior to all others. 

19. For it pleased the Father. The 
words "the Father" are not in the 
original, but they are not improperly 
supplied. Some word must be under- 
stood, and as the apostle in ver. 12 re- 
ferred to "the Father" as having a 
claim to the thanks of his people for 
what he had done, and as the great 
favor for which they ought to be 
thankful is that which he immediate- 
ly specifies— the exaltation of Christ, 
it is not improper to suppose that this 
is the word to be understood here. 
The meaning is, that he chose to con- 
fer on his Son such a rank that in all 
things he might have the pre-emi- 
nence, and that there might be in him 
"all fullness." Hence, by his ap- 
pointment, he was the agent in crea- 
tion, and hence he is placed over all 
things as the head of the Church. 
"f[ That in him should all fullness dwell* 
That in him there should be such dig- 
nity, authority, power, and moral ex- 
cellence as to be fitted to the work of 
creating the world, of redeeming his 
people, and of supplying every thing 
needful for their salvation. On the 
word fullness, see Notes on John i. 14, 
16. Comp. Rom. xi. 12, 25. Gal. iv. 4. 
Eph. i. 23; iii. 19. Col. ii. 9. This is 
to us a most precious truth. We have 
a Saviour who is in no respect defi- 
cient in wisdom, power, and grace to 
redeem and save us. There is nothing 
necessary to be done in our salvation 
which he is not qualified to do ; there 
is nothing which we need to enable 
us<to perform our duties, to meet 
temptation, and to bear trial, which 
he is not able to impart. In no situ- 
ation of trouble and danger will the 
Church find that there Is a deficiency 
in him ; in no enterprise to which she 
can put her hands will there be a lack 
of power in her great Head to enable 
her to accomplish what he calls her 
to. We may go to him in all our 
troubles, weaknesses, temptations, 
and wants, and may be supplied from 
his fullness, just as, if we were thirsty, 
we might go to an ocean of pure wa- 
ter and drink. 

20. And having made peace. Margin, 
making. The Greek will bear either. 



238 



COLOSSIAHS. 



[A.D. 64. 



through the blood of his cross, by 
him to reconcile all things unto 
himself; by him, / my, whether 

The meaning is, that by his atonement 
he produces reconciliation between 
those who were alienated from each 
other. See Notes on Eph. ii. 14. It 
does not mean here that he had actu- 
ally effected peace by his death, but 
that he had laid the foundation for it ; 
he had done that which would secure 
it. ^By the blood of his cross. By his 
blood shed on the cross. That blood, 
making atonement for sin, was the 
means of making reconciliation be- 
tween God and man. On the meaning 
of the word blood, as used in this con- 
nection, see Notes on Rom. iii. 25. H By 
him to reconcile all things to himself. On 
the meaning of the word reconcile, see 
Notes on Matt. v. 24, Rom. v. 10, and 
2 Cor. v. 18. When it is said that " it 
pleased the Father by Christ to recon- 
cile all things to himself," the declara- 
tion must be understood with some 
limitation. (1.) It relates only to 
those things which are in heaven and 
earth— for those only are specified. 
Nothing is said of the inhabitants of 
hell, whether fallen angels, or the spir- 
its of wicked men who are there. (2.) 
It can not mean that all things are 
actually reconciled— for that never has 
been true. Multitudes on earth have 
remained alienated from God, and have 
lived and died his enemies. (3. ) It can 
mean then, only, that he has executed 
a plan that is adapted to this ; that if 
fairly and properly applied, the blood 
of the cross is fitted to secure entire 
reconciliation between heaven and 
earth. There is no enemy which it is 
not fitted to reconcile to God ; there 
is no guilt, now producing aliena- 
tion, which it could not wasbSfcway. 
^Whether they be things in earth, or 
things in heaven. That is, to produce 
harmony between the things in heav- 
en and in earth, so that all things will 
be reconciled to him, or so that there 
will be harmony between heaven and 
earth. The meaning is not that "the 
things in heaven" were alienated from 
God, but that there was alienation in 
the universe which affected heaven, and 
the object was to produce again uni- 
versal concord and love. Substantial- 
ly the same sentiment is" found in Eph. 
i. 10. See Notes on that verse. Much 
has been written on the meaning of 
this expression, and a great variety of 



they le things in earth, or things 
in heaven. 
21 And you, that were some time 

opinions have been entertained of it. 
It is best always, unless necessity re- 
quire a different interpretation, to take 
words in their usual signification. If 
that rule be adopted here, "things in 
heaven" will refer to God and the an- 
gels, and perhaps may include the 
principles of the divine government. 
" Things on earth" will embrace men, 
and the various things on earth which 
are now at variance with God and with 
heaven. Between these, it is designed 
to produce harmony by the blood of 
the cross, or by the atonement. As 
in heaven nothing is wrong ; as it is 
not desirable that any thing should be 
changed there, all the change that is to 
take place in order to produce recon- 
ciliation is to be on the part of men 
and the things of this world. The 
only effect of the blood of the atone- 
ment on the "things" of heaven in ef- 
fecting the reconciliation is to rende'r 
it consistent for God to be at peace 
with sinners. The effect on earth is 
to dispose the sinner to a willingness 
to be reconciled ; to lead him to lay 
aside his enmity; to change his heart, 
and to produce a change in the views 
and principles prevailing on earth 
which are now at variance with God 
and his government. When this shall 
be done, there will be harmony be- 
tween heaven and earth, and an alien- 
ated world will be brought into con- 
formity with the laws and govern- 
ment of the Creator. 

21. And you, that were some time alien- 
ated. In this work of reconciling 
heaven and earth, you at Colosse, who 
were once enemies of God, have been 
reached. The benefit of that great 
plan has been extended to j t ou, and it 
has accomplished in you what it is 
designed to effect every where— to 
reconcile enemies to God. The word 
some time here — irore. — menus formerly. 
In common with all other men, they 
were, by nature, in a state of enmity 
against God. Comp. Notes on Eph. 
ii. 1-3. %In your mind. It was not 
merely by wicked works or by an evil 
life; it was alienation seated in the 
mind, and leading to wicked works. 
It was deliberate and purposed enmi- 
ty. It was not the mere result of pas- 
sion and excitement ; it had a deeper 
seat, and took hold of the intellectual 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



239 



alienated and enemies 1 ^ your 
mind 2 by wicked works, yet now 
hath he reconciled 
22 In the body of his flesh 

1 or, by. 2 or, in. 

powers. The understanding was per- 
verse and alienated from God, and all 
the powers of the soul were enlisted 
against him. It is this fact which 
renders reconciliation with God so 
difficult. Sin has corrupted and per- 
verted alike the moral and the intel- 
lectual powers, and thus the whole 
man is arrayed against his Creator. 
Compare Notes on Eph. iv. 18. H By 
wicked works. The alienation of the 
mind showed itself by wicked works, 
and those works were the public evi- 
dence of the alienation. Comp. Eph. 
ii. 1, 2. If Yet now hath he reconciled. 
Harmony has been secured between 
you and God, and you are brought to 
friendship and love. Such a change 
has been produced in you as to bring 
your minds into friendship with that 
of God. All the change in producing 
this is on the part of man, for God can 
not change, and there is no reason why 
he should, if he could. In the work 
of reconciliation man lays aside his 
hostility to his Maker, and thus be- 
comes his friend. See Notes on 2 
Cor. v. 18. 

22. In the body of his flesh through 
death. The death of his body, or his 
death in making an atonement, has 
been the means of producing this rec- 
onciliation. It (1.) removed the ob- 
stacles to reconciliation on the part 
of God— vindicating his truth and jus- 
tice, and maintaining the principles 
of his government as much as if the 
sinner had himself suffered the penal- 
ty of the law — thus rendering it con- 
sistent for God to indulge the benevo- 
lence of his nature in pardoning sin- 
ners; and (2.) it was the means of 
bringing the sinner himself to a wil- 
lingness to be reconciled— furnishing 
the strongest possible appeal to him ; 
leading him to reflect on the love of 
his Creator, and showing him his own 
guilt and danger. No means ever 
used to produce reconciliation be- 
tween two alienated parties has had 
so much tenderness and power as 
those which God has adopted in the 
plan of salvation; and if the dying 
love of the Son of God fails to lead 
the sinner back to God, every thing 
else will fail. The phrase "the body 



through death, to present a you 
holy, and unblameable, and unre- 
proveable in his sight : 
23 If ye continue 6 in the faith 

«Jude24. Heb. 10.38. 

of his flesh" means the body of flesh 
which he assumed in order to suffer 
in making an atonement. The recon- 
ciliation could not have been effected 
but by his assuming such a body, for 
his divine nature could not so suffer 
as to make atonement for sins. 1[ To 
present you. That is, before God. 
The object of the atonement was to 
enable him to present the redeemed 
to God freed from sin, and made holy 
in his sight, The whole work had 
reference to the glories of that day 
when the Redeemer and the redeem- 
ed will stand before God, and when 
he will present them to his Father as 
completely recovered from the ruins 
of the fall. ^Holy. Made holy, or 
made free from sin. Comp. Luke xx. 
36. ^And unblamable. Not that in 
themselves they will not be deserving 
of blame, or will not be unworthy, but 
that they will be purified from their 
sins. The word here used— a/xoi^os — 
means, properly, spotless, without blem- 
ish. See the Notes on Eph. i. 4; v. 
27 ; Heb. ix. 4. It is applied to a lamb, 
1 Pet. i. 19 ; to the Saviour, Heb. ix. 
14; and to the Church, Eph. i. 4; -v. 
27; Jude24; Rev. xiv. 5. It does not 
elsewhere occur. When the redeem- 
ed enter heaven, all their sins will 
have been taken away ; not a spot of 
the deep dye of iniquity will remain 
on their souls. Rev. i. 5; vii. 14. 
*^And unreprovable in his sight. There 
will be none to accuse them before 
God ; or they will be free from all ac- 
cusation. The law will not accuse them 
— for the death of their Redeemer has 
done as much to honor it as their own 
punishment w#uld have done; God 
will not accuse them— for he has free- 
ly forgiven them; their consciences 
will not accuse them — for their sins 
will all have been taken away, and they 
will enjoy the favor of God as ?/they 
had not sinned ; holy angels will hot 
accuse them — for they will welcome 
them to their society; and even Satan 
will not accuse them, for he will have 
seen that their piety is sincere, and 
that they are truly what they profess 
to be. Comp. Notes on Rom. viii. 33, 
34. 

23. If ye continue in the faith. In the 



240 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



grounded and settled, and he not 
moved away from the hope of the 
gospel, which ye have heard, and 
which was preached to every a 
creature w T hich is under heaven; 

a Matt. 24. 14. Mark 16. 15. 



whereof I Paul am made a minis- 
ter ; 

24 Who now rejoice in my suffer- 
ings for you, and fill up that which 
is behind of the afflictions 6 of 

b Philip. 3. 10. 



belief of the Gospel, and in holy liv- 
ing. If this were done, they would be 
presented unblamable before God; if 
not, they would not be. The mean- 
ing is, that it will be impossible to be 
saved unless we continue to lead lives 
becoming the Gospel. ^Grounded. On 
a firm foundation. See Notes onEph. 
iii. 17, where the same word occurs. 
If And settled. Gr. , firm ; as a building- 
is that is founded on a rock. Comp. 
Matt. vii. 25. \ And be not moved away 
from the hope of the Gospel. By the arts 
of philosophy and the allurements of 
sin. If Which was preached to every creat- 
ure which is under heaven. It can not 
be supposed that it was literally true 
that every creature under heaven had 
actually heard the Gospel. But this 
may mean (1.) that it was designed to 
be preached to every creature, or that 
the commission to make it known em- 
braced every one, and that, so far as 
the provisions of the Gospel are con- 
cerned, it may be said that it was a sys- 
tem proclaimed to all mankind. See 
.Mark xvi. 15. If a vast army, or the 
inhabitants of a distant province, were 
in rebellion against a government, and 
a proclamation of pardon were issued, 
it would not be improper to say that 
it was made to every one of them, though, 
as a matter of fact, it might not be 
true that every one in the remote 
parts of the army or province had 
actually heard of it. (2.) The Gospel 
in the time of Paul seems to have been 
so extensively preached that it might 
be said that it was proclaimed to ev- 
ery body. All kn#wn countries ap- 
pear to have been visited; and so zeal- 
ous and laborious had been the heralds 
of salvation, that it might be said that 
the message had been proclaimed to 
all the world. See ver. 6. Compare 
Notes on Matt. xxiv. 14. H Whereof I 
Paul am made a minister. See Notes 
on Eph. iii. 1-7. Paul here pursues 
the same train of thought which he 
does in the epistle to the Ephesians, 
where, having shown the exalted na- 
ture of the Redeemer, and the design 
of the Gospel, he adverts to his own 
labors and sufferings in making it 



known. The object seems to be to 
\ show that he regarded it as the high- 
; est honor to be thus intrusted with 

the message of mercy to mankind, and 

considered it as a privilege to suffer 

in that cause. 

| 24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings 
! for you. For you as a part of the Gen- 
tile world. It was not for the Colos- 
1 sians alone, but he regarded himself 
j as suffering on account of his labors 
in preaching to the heathen at large. 
! His trials at Rome had come upon 
i him because he had maintained that 
the wall of partition between Jews 
| and Gentiles was broken down, and 
: that the Gospel was to be preached 
; indiscriminately to all mankind. See 
; this illustrated in the Introduction, § 
5. 1[ And fill up that ichich is behind of 
\ the afflictions of Christ. That which I 
! lack of coming up to the sufferings 
i which Christ endured in the cause of 
j the Church. The apostle seems to 
i mean, (1.) that he suffered in the same 
cause as that for which Christ suf- 
i fered; (2.) that he endured the same 
! kind of sufferings, to some extent, in 
I reproaches, persecutions, and opposi- 
tion from the world; (3.) that he had 
not yet suffered as much as Christ did 
in this cause, and, though he had suf- 
fered greatly, yet there was much that 
was lacking to make him equal in this 
respect to the Saviour; and (4.) that 
he felt that it was an object to be 
earnestly desired to be made in all re- 
I spects just like Christ, and that in his 
j present circumstances he was fast fill- 
ing up that which was lacking, so that 
he would have a more complete re- 
! semblance to him. What he says here 
| is based on the leading desire of his 
! soul— the great principle of his life— 
j to be just like Christ ; alike in 
moral character, in suffering, and in 
I destiny. See Notes on Phil. iii. 10. 
| Having this strong wish, he had been 
j led to pursue a course of life which 
| conducted him through trials strong- 
I ly resembling those which Christ him- 
i self endured; and, as fast as possible, 
he was filling up that in which he now 
1 fell short. He does not mean that 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



241 



Christ in my flesh for his body's 
sake, which is the church : 

25 Whereof I arn made a minis- 
ter, according to the dispensation 
of God which is given to me for 
you, 1 to fulfil the word of God ; 

1 or, fully to preach. 



26 Even the mystery a which hath 
been hid from ages and from gen- 
erations, but now 6 is made mani- 
fest to his saints : 

27 To whom God would make 
known what is the riches of the 



there was any thing lacking 'or defi- 
cient in the sufferings which Christ 
endured in making an atonement, 
which was to be supplied by his fol- 
lowers, so that their merits might be 
added to his in order to secure the 
salvation of men, as the Romanists 
seem to suppose ; but that there was 
still much lacking on his part before 
he should be entirely conformed to 
the Saviour in his sufferings, and that 
his present condition was such as rap- 
idly to fill that up. This seems to me 
to be the fair meaning of this expres- 
sion, though not the one commonly 
given. The usual interpretation is, 
" that which remains to me of afflic- 
tion to be endured in the cause of 
Christ." But this seems to me to be 
cold and tame, and not to suit the 
genius of Paul, \lnmy flesh. In bod- 
ily sufferings. ^For his body's sake, 
which is the Church. See Notes on 
Eph. i. 23. 

25. According to the dispensation of 
God. The arrangements which God 
has made. That is, he designed that 
the Gospel should be preached to the 
Gentiles, and, in accordance with that 
arrangement, he has called me to be a 
minister. See Notes on Eph. iii. 2. 
•fT To fulfill the word of God. Margin, 
"fully to preach." The Greek is, u to 
fill up the word of God ;" the meaning 
is, "fully to teach and promulgate the 
Gospel." Comp. Notes on Rom. xv. 19. 

26. Even the mystery. To make that 
mystery fully known. See this ex- 
plained in the Notes on Eph. iii. 2-9. 
The great doctrine that salvation was 
to be proclaimed to all mankind, Paul 
says, had been concealed for many gen- 
erations. Hence it was called a mys- 
tery, or a hidden truth. ^ But now is 
made manifest to his saints. It was 
communicated especially to the apos- 
tles who were appointed to proclaim 
it, and through them to all the saints. 
Paul says that he regarded himself as 
specially called to make this truth 
known, as far as possible, to mankind. 

27. To whom. To the saints. 1 God 
would make known. Greek, " vnlled to 

L 



make known ;" that is, he w T as pleased 
to make this known. It was con- 
cealed in his bosom until he chose to 
reveal it to his apostles. It was a doc- 
trine which the Jewish people did not 
understand. Eph. iii. 5, 6. ^ What is 
the riches of the glory of this mystery. 
The rich glory of this great, long-con- 
cealed truth. On the use of the word 
ricftes, see Notes on Rom. ii. 4. It is a 
favorite word with the apostle Paul to 
denote that which is valuable, or that 
which abounds. The meaning here is, 
that the truth that the Gospel was 
to be preached to all mankind was a 
truth abounding in glory. Among the 
Gentiles. That is, the glory of this 
truth is manifested by the effects 
which it has produced among the Gen- 
tiles. T[ Which is Christ in you, the hope 
of glory. Or, Christ among you, marg. 
The meaning is, that the whole of the 
truth, so full of glory, and so rich and 
elevated in its effects, is summed up 
in this— that Christ is revealed among 
you as the source of the hope of glory 
in a better world. • This was the great 
truth which so animated the heart, 
and fired the zeal, of the apostle Paul. 
The wonderful announcement had 
burst on his mind like a flood of day 
that the offer of salvation was not to 
be confined, as he had once supposed, 
to the Jewish people, but that all men 
were now placed on a level ; that they 
had a common Saviour; that the same 
heaven was now opened for all, and 
that there were none so degraded and 
vile that they might not have the of- 
fer of life as well as others. This great 
truth Paul burned to communicate to 
the whole world; and for holding it, 
and in making it known, he had in- 
volved himself in all the difficulties 
which he had with his own country- 
men ; had suffered from want, and per- 
il, and toil ; and had finally been made 
a captive, and was expecting to be put 
to death. It was just such a truth as 
was fitted to fire such a mind as that 
of Paul, and to make this truth known 
was vmrth all the sacrifices and toils 
which he endured. Life is well sacri- 



242 



COLOSSIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



glory of this mystery among the 
Gentiles ; which is Christ 1 in you, 
the a hope of glory : 

28 Whom we preach, warning 6 
every man, and teaching 6 every 
man in all wisdom ; that d we may 

I or, among. a 1 Tim. 1.1. b Acts 20. 20, 27, 31. 



present every man perfect in Christ 
J esus : 

29 Whereunto fi I also labour, 
striving according to his work- 
ing, which worketh in me might- 
ily. 

c2Tim. 2. 25 d 2 Cor. 11. 2. e 1 Cor. 15. 10. 



ficed in making known such a doc- 
trine to the world. 

28. Whom we preach, wanning every 
man. This does not mean warning of 
danger, but "admonishing all of the 
claims of the Gospel to attention." 
Our word warn is commonly used in 
the sense of cautioning against danger. 
The Greek word here means to put in 
mind; to admonish; to exhort. The 
idea of the apostle is, that he made it 
his great business to bring the offers 
of the Gospel fairly before the mind 
of every man. As it had the same 
claims on all; as it might be freely of- 
fered to all; and as it furnished the 
only hope of glory, he made it the ob- 
ject of his life to apprize every man 
of it, as far as he could. ^Ancl teach- 
ing every man. Paul made it his bus- 
iness to instruct men as well as to ex- 
hort them. Exhortation and warning 
are of little use where there is not 
sound instruction and a careful incul- 
cation of the truth. It is one of the 
duties of the ministry to instruct men 
in those truths of which the} 7 were 
before ignorant. Sec Matt, xxviii. 19. 
2 Tim. ii. 25. ^In all wisdom. Comp. 
Notes on Matt. x. 16. Col. i. 9. The 
meaning is, that he and his fellow-la- 
borers endeavored to manifest true 
wisdom in the method in which they 
instructed others. lj That we may pre- 
sent every man. When we come to ap- 
pear before God. See Notes on 2 Cor. 
xi. 2. Paul was anxious that no one 
to whom this Gospel was preached 
should be lost. He believed it to be 
adapted to save every man ; and as he 
expected to meet all his hearers at 
the bar of God, his aim was to present 
them as made perfect by means of 
that Gospel which he preached. 

29. Whereunto I also labor. See Notes 
on 1 Cor. xv. 10. H Striving. Greek, 
agonizing. He taxed all his energies 
to accomplish this, as the wrestlers 
strove for mastery in the Grecian 
games. ^ According to his w or king. \ 
Not by my own strength, but by the j 
power which God alone can give. See ! 
Notes on 1 Cor. xv. 10. 



Among the truths of practical im- 
portance taught by this chapter are 
the following : 

1. We should rejoice in the piety of 
others. Ver. 2-8. It should be to us 
a subject of unfeigned gratitude to 
God when others are faithful to their 
high calling, and when they so live as 
to adorn the blessed Gospel. In all 
their faith, and love, and joy, we should 
find occasion for thankfulness. We 
should not envy it, or be disposed to 
charge it to wrong motives, or sus- 
pect it of insincerity or hypocrisy, but 
should welcome every account of the 
zeal and faithfulness of those who bear 
the Christian name — no matter who 
the persons are, or with what denom- 
ination of Christians they maybe con- 
nected. Especially is this true in re- 
lation to our friends, or to those for 
whose salvation we have labored. 
The source of highest gratitude to a 
Christian, in relation to his friends, 
should be, that they act as becomes 
the friends of God; the purest joy 
that can swell the bosom of a minis- 
ter of Christ is produced by the evi- 
dence that they to whom he has min- 
istered are advancing in knowledge 
and love. Comp. 2 J ohn 4. 3 John 4. 

2. We should earnestly pray that 
they who have been much favored 
should be prospered more and more. 
Ver. 9-11. 

3. It is a good time to pray for Chris- 
tians when they are already prosper- 
ous, and are distinguished for zeal and 
love. Ver. 9-11. "We have then en- 
couragement to do it. We feel that 
our prayers will not be in vain. For 
a man that is doing well, we feel en- 
couraged to pray that he may do still 
better. For a Christian who' has true 
spiritual joy, we are encouraged to 
pray that he may have more joy. For 
one who is aiming to make advances 
in the knowledge of God, we are en- 
couraged to pray that he may make 
still higher advances; and if* there- 
fore, we wish others to pray for us, we 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER I. 



243 



should show them by our efforts that 
there is some encouragement for them 
to do it. 

4. Let us cherish with suitable grat- 
itude the remembrance of the good- 
ness of Gocl, who has translated us 
from the kingdom of darkness into 
the kingdom of his dear Son. Vs. 12, 
13. By nature we, like others, were 
under the power of darkness. In that 
kingdom of sin, and error, and misery, 
we were born and reared, until God, 
iu great compassion, brought us out 
from it, and made us heirs of light. 
Now, if we are true Christians, we be- 
long to a kingdom of holiness, of 
knowledge, and of happiness. No 
words can express appropriately the 
goodness of God in thus making us 
heirs of light ; and not an hour of our 
lives should pass without a thankful 
remembrance of his mercy. 

5. In the affections of our hearts let 
the Saviour in all things have the pre- 
eminence. Ver. 15-18. He is the im- 
age of God; and when we think of 
him, we see what God is — how holy, 
pure, benevolent. He is the first-born 
of all things; the Son of God; exalt- 
ed to the highest seat in the universe. 
When we look on the sun, the moon, 
and the stars, let us remember that 
he created them all. When we think 
of the angels, let us remember that 
they are the workmanship of his 
hands. When we look on the earth — 
the floods, the rivers, the hills, let us 
remember that all these were made by 
his power. The vast universe is still 
sustained by him. Its beautiful order 
and harmony are preserved by him, 
and all its movements are under his 
control. So the Church is under him. 
It is subject to his command; it re- 
ceives its laws from his lips, and it is 
bound to do his will. Over all coun- 
cils and synods — over all rule and au- 
thority in the Church — Christ is the 
Head ; and whatever may be ordained 
by man, his will is to be obeyed. So, 
when we think of the resurrection, 
Christ is chief. He first rose to re- 
turn to death no more ; he rose as the 
pledge that his people will also rise. 
As Christ is thus head over all things, 
so let him be first in the affections of 
our hearts ; as it is designed that in 
every thing he shall have the pre-em- 
inence, so let him have the pre-emi- 
nence in the affections of our souls. 
None should be loved by us as Christ 
is loved ; and no friend, however dear, 



should be allowed to displace him 
from the supremacy in our affections. 

6. In all our wants let us go to Christ. 
Ver. 19. "It pleased the Father that 
in him should all fullness dwell." We 
have not a want which he can not sup- 
ply; there is not a sorrow of our lives 
in which he can not comfort us; not 
a temptation from which he can not 
deliver us ; not a pain which he can 
not either relieve, or enable us to 
bear. Every necessity of body or 
mind he can supply; and we never can 
go to him, in any circumstance of life 
in which we can possibly be placed, 
where we shall fail of consolation and 
support because Christ is not able to 
help us. True piety learns day by day 
to live more by simple dependence on 
the Saviour. As we advance in holi- 
ness, we become more and more sen- 
sible of our weakness and insufficien- 
cy, and more and more disposed to 
live "by the faith of the Son of God.' 1 

7. By religion we become united 
with the angels. Ver. 20. Harmony 
produced between heaven and earth. 
Alienated worlds are reconciled again, 
and from jarring elements there is 
rearing one great and harmonious em- 
pire. The work of the atonement is 
designed to remove what separated 
earth from heaven ; men from angels ; 
man from God. The redeemed have 
substantially the same feelings now 
which they have who are around the 
throne of God; and though we are 
far inferior to them in rank, yet we 
shall be united with them in affection 
and purpose, forever and ever. What 
a glorious work is that of the Gospel ! 
It reconciles and harmonizes distant 
worlds ; it produces concord and love 
in millions of hearts which but for that 
would have been alienated forever! 

8. By religion we become fitted for 
heaven. Vs. 12, 22. We are made 
"meet" to enter there; we shall be 
presented there unblamable and un- 
reprovable. No one will accuse us 
before the throne of God. Nor Satan, 
nor our own consciences, nor our fel- 
low-men will then urge that we ought 
not to be admitted to heaven. Re- 
deemed and pardoned, renewed and 
sanctified, the universe will be satis- 
fied that we ought to be saved, and 
will rejoice. Satan will no longer 
charge the friends of Jesus with insin- 
cerity and hypocrisy ; our own minds 
will be no longer troubled with doubts 
and fears ; the holy angels will wel- 



244 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



come us to their presence. Not a 
voice will be lifted up in reproach or 
condemnation, and the Universal Fa- 
ther will stretch out his arms and 
press to his bosom the returning prod- 
igals. Clothed in the white robes of 
salvation, we shall be welcome even in 
heaven, and the universe will rejoice 
that we are there. 

9. It is a privilege to suffer for the 
welfare of the Church. Ver. 24. Paul 
regarded it as such, and rejoiced in the 
trials which came upon him in the 
cause of religion. The Saviour so re- 
garded it, and shrank not from the 
great sorrows involved in the work 
of saving his people. We may suffer 
much in promoting the same object. 
We may be exposed to persecution 
and death. We may be called to part 
with all we have — to leave country, 
and friends, and home, to go and 
preach the Gospel to benighted men. 
On a foreign shore, far from all that 
we hold dear on earth, we may lie 
down and die, and our grave, un- 
marked by sculptured marble, may be 
soon forgotten. But to do good ; to 
defend truth; to promote virtue; to 
save the souls of the perishing, is worth 
all which it costs, and he who accom- 
plishes these things by exchanging 
for them earthly comforts, and even 
life, has made a wise exchange. The 
universe gains by it in happiness; and 
the benevolent heart should rejoice 
that there is such a gain, though at- 
tended with our individual and per- 
sonal suffering. 

10. Ministers have a noble office. 
Ver. 24-29. It is their privilege to 
make known to men the most glori- 
ous truths that can come before the 
human mind ; truths which were hid 
from ages and generations, but which 
are now revealed by the Gospel. These 
great truths are intrusted to the min- 
istry to explain and defend, and are by 
them to be carried around the world. 
The ministers of religion strive not 
for gold, and honor, and worldly pleas- 
ures. They strive in the noble effort 
to show to every man that he has a 
Saviour; that there is a heaven to 
which he may come ; to present every 
one perfect before God. With all its 
sacrifices and self-denials, therefore, it 
is au inestimable privilege to be a min- 
ister of ihe Gospel — for there is no 
man who diffuses through a commu- 
nity so much solid happiness; there 
is no one the result of whose labors 



I reaches so far into future ages. To a 

I benevolent heart there is no higher 

j privilege than to be permitted to go 

i to every man — to the poor, the tempt- 

1 ed, the oppressed, the slave, the peni- 
tent, and the dying sinner, and to say 
to each one that he w r as a Saviour, that 

; Christ died for him, and that , if he will 
have it so, he may have a home in 
heaven. No matter whom he meets ; 

: no matter how debased and degraded 
he may be to whom he ministers ; no 
matter though it be the poor slave, or 

| the lonely w r anderer on pathless sands, 
or the orphan, or the outcast, the her- 
ald of salvation may tell him that there 

I is a heaven for him — a Saviour who 
died for him— a God who is ready to 

i pardon and save his soul. In such a 
work, it is a privilege to exhaust our 
strength ; in the performance of the 
duties of such an office, it is an honor 

| to be permitted to wear out life itself. 
Doing this, a man, when he comes to 
die, will feel that he has not lived in 

! vain ; and whatever self-denial he may 
practice in it; however much com- 

i fort, or however many friends he may 
forsake, all these things will give him 
no pang of regret when from a bed 
of death he looks out on the eternal 
world. 

CHAPTER II. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

This entire chapter may be regard- 
ed as designed to guard the Colossians 
against the seductive influence of the 
false philosophy winch tended to draw 
them away from the Gospel. It is ev- 

| ident from the chapter that there were 

I at Colosse, or in the vicinity, pro- 
fessed instructors in religion, who 
taught an artful and plausible philos- 
ophy, adapting themselves to the prej- 
udices of the people, and inculcating 
opinions that tended to lead them 
away from the truths which they had 
embraced. These teachers were prob- 
ably of Jewish origin, and had adopt- 

j ed many of the arts of a plausible 
rhetoric from the prevailing philoso- 
phy in that region. See the Introd., 
§ 4. Against the seductive influences 
of this philosophy, it is the design of 
this chapter to guard them; and, 
though the apostle does not seem to 
have intended to pursue an exact log- 
ical order, yet the argument in the 
chapter can be conventently regarded 
as consisting of two parts : A state- 

i ment of the reasons why they should 



AD. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



245 



CHAPTER II. | and/or them at Laodicea," and for 

FOR I would that ye knew what as many as have not seen my face 
great 1 conflict I have for you, in the flesh ; 



1 or, fear ; or, care. 



be on their guard against the arts of 
that philosophy, and a specification 
of the particular errors to which they 
were exposed. 

I. A statement of the reasons why 
they should not allow r themselves to 
be drawn away by the influence of the 
prevalent philosophy. Verses 1-15. 
This also consists of two parts. 

A. The importance of the subject. 
Ver. 1-7. 

(l.)The apostle felt great solici- 
tude for them, and for all whom 
he had not seen, that they might 
hold the truth in reference to 
the divine existence and perfec- 
tions. Vs. 1, 2. 

(2.) All the treasures of wisdom 
and knowledge were in Christ, 
and it was, th erefo re, of the 
greatest importance to hold to 
the truth respecting him. Ver. 
3. 

(3.) They were in danger of being 
led astray by enticing words. 
Ver. 4. 

(4.) Paul says that he was with 
them in spirit, and he exhorted 
them, therefore, to remain root- 
ed and grounded in the doc- 
trines which they had received 
respecting the Saviour. Ver. 
5-7. 

B. Reasons why they should be 
steadfast, and not drawn away by 
the influence of false philosophy. 
Ver. 8-15. 

(l.)The danger of depending on 
traditions and worldly prin- 
ciples in religion; of being 
" spoiled" or robbed by philos- 
ophy. Ver. 8. 

(2.) All that we need to desire is 
to be found in Christ. Vs. 9, 
10. 

(3.) We have received through 
him the true circumcision— the 
putting away our sins. Ver. 11. 

(4.) We have been buried with 
him in baptism, and have sol- 
emnly devoted ourselves to 
him. Ver. 12. 

(5.) We have been quickened by 
him ; our sins have been forgiv- 
en ; and every thing that hin- 
dered our salvation has been 
taken out of the way by him, 



a Rev. 3. 14, etc. 



and he has triumphed over our 

foes. Ver. 13-15. 
II. Specification of particular errors 
to which they were exposed, or of 
particular things to be avoided. Ver. 
16-23. 

The chapter closes (ver. 20-23) with 
an earnest exhortation wholly .to 
avoid these things; not to touch, or 
taste, or handle them. However 
plausible the pretences might be on 
which they were urged ; whatever ap- 
pearance of wisdom or humility there 
might be, the apostle assures them 
that there was no real honor in them, 
and that they were wholly to be 
avoided. 

1. For I would that ye knew. I wish 
you knew or fully understood. He 
supposes that this would deeply affect 
them if they understood the solici- 
tude which he had had on their ac- 
count. U What great conflict. Marg., 
fear, or care. The Greek word is agony 

— aywva. It is not, however, the 
word rendered agony in Luke xxii. 44 

— ayiovia — though that is derived 
from this. The word is rendered con- 
flict in Phil. i. 30; contention, 1 Thess. 
ii. 2 ; fight, 1 Tim. vi. 12 ; 2 Tim. iv. 7 ; 
and race, Heb. xii. 1. It properly re- 
fers to the combats, contests, strug- 
gles, efforts at the public games; the 
toil and conflict to obtain a victory. 
It refers here to the anxious care, the 
mental conflict, the earnest solicitude 
which the apostle had in their behalf, 
in view of the dangers to which they 
were exposed from Judaizing Chris- 
tians and pagan philosophy. This 
mental struggle resembled that which 
the combatants had at the public 
games. Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. ix. 25 
-27. If And for them at Laodicea. For 
Christians there, who were exposed 
to similar danger. Laodicea was the 
capital of Phrygia, in Asia Minor, and 
a little south of %)losse. See Introd., 

! § 1, 6. Compare Notes on ch. iv. 16. 
| There was a Church early planted 
j there — the "lukewarm" Church men- 
i tioned in Rev. iii. 14. Being in the 
: vicinity of. Colosse, the Chattel) there 
| would be exposed to the same perils, 
' and the rebuke in Rev. iii. 14 show 
that the fears of Paul were well found- 



246 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64, 



2 That their hearts might be : love, a and unto all riches of the 
comforted, being knit together in ! full 6 assurance of understanding, 

! ac.3. 14. 6lBa.32.17. Heb.6.11. 

ed, and that the arts of the false teach- of expression here. The meaning is, 
ers were too successful. H And for as \ that the thing referred to — "the full 
many as have not seen my face in the understanding" of the "mystery" of 
flesh. That is, evidently, in that re- ! religion — was an invaluable posses- 
gion. He had, doubtless, a general j sion, like abundant wealth. This pas- 
solicitude for all Christians, but his ' sage also shows the object for which 
remark here has reference to those in they should be united. I> should be 
the neighborhood of the church at in order that they might obtain this 
C^losse, or in that church. On the inestimable wealth. If they were di- 
question which has been raised wheth- vided in affections, and split up into 
er this proves that the apostle Paul t factions, they could not hope to se- 
had never been at Colosse or Laodicea, j cure it. % Of the full assurance of un- 
see Introd., § 2, 4. This passage does ! derstandi?ig. This word {TrX^pocpopia) 
not seem to me to prove that he had meansJiVm persuasion, settled conviction. 
not been there. It may mean that he j It occurs only here and in 1 Thess. i. 
had great solicitude for those Chris- I 5 ; Heb. vi. 11 ; x. 22, and is rendered 
tians there whom he knew, and for all I by assurance, or full assurance, in every 
others there, or in the vicinity, even j instance. See the verb, however, in 
though he was not personally ac- Lukei.l. Rom.iv. 21; xiv. 5. 2Tim. 
quainted with them. He may refer ! iv. 5,17. It was the desire of the apos- 
(1.) to some churches in the neigh- I tie that they might have entire convic- 
borhood formed after he was there; Hon of the truth of the Christian doc- 
or (2.) to strangers who had come in j trines. If To the acknowledgment. So 
there after he was with them ; or (3.) ' as fully and openly to acknowledge or 
to those who had been converted after ; confess this mystery. \ The mystery. 
he was there, and with whom he had ' On the meaning of this word, see Notes 
no personal acquaintance. For all on Rom. xi. 25. Eph.i. 9. The mean- 
these he would feel the same solici- j ing. is, that the doctrine respecting 
tude, for they were all exposed to the \ God, which had before been concealed 
same danger, To " see one's face in | or hidden, is now revealed in the Gos- 
the flesh" is a Hebraism meaning to pel. It does not mean that there was 
become personally acquainted with 1 any thing unintelligible or incompre- 
him. hensible respecting this doctrine when 

2. That their hearts might be comfort- it was made known. That might be 
ed. Like all other Christians in the i as clear as any other truth. If Of God. 
times of the apostles, they were doubt- Of God as he actually subsists. j:his 
less exposed to trials and persecutions, j does not mean that the mere fact of 
H Being knit together in love. The same the existence of God was a " mystery," 
word which is here used (<™/x/3i/3d£o>) ; or a truth which had been concealed, 
occurs in Eph. iv. 16, and is there ren- for that was not true. But the sense 
dered compacted. See Notes on that plainly is, that there were truths now 
place. In Acts ix. 22 it is rendered made known in the Gospel to man- 
proving; Acts xvi. 10, assuredly gath- kind about the mode of the divine ex- 
ering; 1 Cor. ii. 16, instruct; and here, istence which had not before beendis- 
and in ver. 19, knit together. It means, , closed ; and this "mystery" he wished 
properly, to make to come together, and 1 them to retain, or fully acknowledge, 
hence refers to a firm union, as where The "mystery," or the hitherto un- 
the hearts of Christians are one. Here revealed truth, related to the fact that 
it means that the way of comforting God subsisted in more persons than 
each other was by §olid Christian ! one, as "Father," and as "Christ." 
friendship, and that the means of ce- j ^ And of the Father. Or, rather, "even 
menting that was love. It was not by of the Father;" for so the word teat 
a mere outward profession, or by mere {and) is often used. The apostle does 
speculative faith; it was by a union of not mean that he wished them to ac- 
affection. t And unto all riches. On knowledge the hitherto unrevealed 
the meaning of the word riches, as I truth respecting "God" and another 
used by the apostle Paul, see Notes on ! being called l 'the Father," but re- 
Rcm. ii. 4. There is a great energy specting "Got*" as the "Father," or 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



to the acknowledgment of the! 
mystery a of God, and of the Fa- 
ther, and of Christ ; 

3 In 1 whom are hid all the treas- 
ures of wisdom and knowledge. 

4 And this I say, lest any man 
should beguile h you with enticing 
words. 

a 1 Jno. 5. 7. 1 or, wherein. 

of God as "Father" and as "Christ." 
IT And of Christ. As a person of the 
Godhead. What the apostle wished 
them to acknowledge was the full rev- 
elation now made known respecting 
the essential nature of God as the "Fa- 
ther" and as "Christ." In relation to 
this, they were in special danger of 
being corrupted by the prevalent phi- 
losophy, as it is in relation to this 
that error of Christian doctrine usual- 
ly commences. It should be said, 
however, that there is great variety 
of reading in the MSS. on this whole 
clause, and that many critics (see Ro- 
senmiiller) regard it as spurious. I do 
not see evidence that it is not genu- 
ine; and the strain of exhortation of 
the apostle seems to me to demand it. 

3. In whom. Margin, wherein. The 
more correct translation is "in 
whom." The reference is doubtless 
to Christ, as his name is the immedi- 
ate antecedent, and as what is affirmed 
here properly appertains to him. ^Are 
hid. Like treasures that are concealed 
or garnered up. It does not mean that 
none of those "treasures" had been 
developed; but that, so to speak, 
Christ, as Mediator, was the great 
treasure-house where were to be found 
all the wisdom and knowledge need- 
ful for men. All the treasures. It is 
common to compare any thing valua- 
ble with "treasures" of silver or gold. 
The idea here is, that in reference to 
the wisdom and knowledge needful 
for us, Christ is what abundant treas- 
ures are in reference to the supply of 
our wants. 1j Wisdom, The wisdom 
needful for our salvation. See Notes 
on 1 Cor. i. 24. ^ And knowledge. The 
knowledge which is requisite to guide 
us in the way to life. Christ is able 
to instruct us in all that it is desira- 
ble for us to know, so that it is not 
necessary for us to apply to philoso- 
phy, or to the teachings of men. 

4. And this I say. Respecting the 
character and sufficiency of the truth [ 
revealed in Christ. *[[ Lest any man 



\ 5 For though I be absent in the 
flesh, yet am I with you in*the 
spirit, joying and beholding your 
order; and the steadfastness of 
your faith in Christ. 

6 As ye have therefore received 
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk c ye 
in him ; 

b Mark 13. 22. c 1 Jno. 2. 6. 

should beguile you. Deceive you ; lead 
you away from the truth. "f[ With en- 
ticing words. Artful words, smooth 
and plausible arguments, such as were 
employed by the Greek sophists and 
rhetoricians. 

5. For though I be absent in the flesh, 
yet am I with you in the spirit. That is, 
I seem to see you ; I feel as if I were 
there, and were looking upon you ; I 
have the same solicitude as if I w r ere 
there, and saw all the danger which 
exists that your beautiful order and 
harmony should be disturbed by the 
influence of false philosophy. See 
Notes on 1 Cor. v. 3. The word "spir- 
it," here, does not refer to the Holy 
Spirit, or to any inspiration by which 
the apostle was enabled to see them; 
but it is equivalent to what we mean 
when we say, u My heart is with you." 
He seemed to be beholding them. If Joy- 
ing and beholding your order. That is, 
I rejoice as if I saw your order. He 
had such confidence that every thing 
would be done among them as became 
Christians, that he could rejoice as if 
he actually saw it. 

6. As ye have therefore received Christ 
Jesus the Lord. Have received him by 
faith as your Saviour, or as you were 
instructed respecting his rank, char- 
acter, and work. The object here is to 
induce them not to swerve from the 
views which they had of Christ when 
he was made known to them. They 
had at first probably received their 
ideas of the Saviour from the apostle 
himself (see the Introd.); and, at any 
rate, the apostle designs to assure 
them that the views which they had 
when they "received him" were found- 
ed in truth. H So walk in 7iim. Con- 
tinue in those views of Christ ; live in 
the maintenance of them; let them 
regulate your whole conduct. The 
word walk, in the Scriptures, is used 
to denote the manner of life ; and the 
sense here is, that they should live and 

[ act wholly under the influence of the 
conceptions which they had of the 



248 



COLOSSIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



7 Rooted a and built up in him, j ceit, after the tradition of men, 
b and stablished in the faith, as ye j after the 1 rudiments of the world, 
have been taught, abounding and not after Christ. 

therein with thanksgiving.- | 9 For in him d d well eth all the 

8 Beware c lest any man spoil you j fulness of the Godhead bodily, 
through philosophy and vain de- 10 And ye are complete e in him, 

a Eph. 3. 17. 6 Jno. 15.4, 5. 1 or, elements. dc. 1.19. e Heb. 5.9. 

c Rom. 16. 17. Eph. 5.6. Heb. 13. 9. 



Saviour when they first embraced him. speculations respecting the nature of 
The particle "so" is supplied by our j the dfvine existence, and the danger 
translators, and rather weakens the 1 of the Colossians was that they would 
sense. No stress should be laid on it, j rely rather on the deductions of that 
as is often done. The meaniug is, sirn- j specious reasoning than on what they 
ply, "Since you have received Christ had been taught by their Christian 
as your Lord as he was preached to j teachers. \ And vain deceit. Mere fal- 
you, hold fast the doctrine which you j lacy. The idea is, that the doctrines 
have received, and do not permit your- which were advanced in those systems 
selves to be turned aside by auy Jew- j were maintained by plausible, not by 
ish teachers, or teachers of philoso- j solid arguments ; by considerations 
phy." not fitted to. lead to the truth, but to 

7. Rooted — in him. As a tree strikes ; lead astray. If After the tradition of 
its roots deep in the earth, so our faith j men. There appear to have been two 
should strike deep into the doctrine ; sources of danger to which the Chris- 
respecting the Saviour. See the ! tians at Colosse were exposed, and to 
phrase here used explained in the par- ; which the apostle in these cautions 
allel place in Eph. iii. 17. H And estab- alludes, though he is not careful to 
lished in the faith, as ye have been taught, distinguish them. The one was that 
To wit, by the founders of the Church, arising from the Grecian philosophy ; 
and by those faithful ministers who the other from Jewish opinions. The 
succeeded them. See Notes on ch. i. latter is that to which he refers here. 
7. T| Abounding therein with thanksgiu- I The Jews depended much on tradi- 
ing. Expressing overflowing thanks j tion (see Notes on Matt. xv. 2), and 
to God that you have been made ac- ! many of those traditions would have 
quainted with truths so precious and , tended much to corrupt the Gospel 
glorious. If there* is any thing for ! of Christ. ^ After the rudiments of the 
which we ought to be thankful, it is ! world. Marg., elements. See this ex- 
for the knowledge of the great truths ; plained in the Notes on Gal. iv. 3. 
respecting our Lord and Saviour. j ^ And not after Christ. Not such as 

8. Beware lest any man spoil you. The \ Christ taught. 

word spoil now commonly means to j 9. For in him dwelleth. That is, this 
corrupt, to cause to decay and perish, as j was the great and central doctrine 
fruit is spoiled by keeping too long, or j that was to be maintained about 
paper by wetting, or hay by a long Christ, that all the fullness of the God- 
rain, or crops by mildew. But the head dwelt in him. Every system 
Greek word here used means to spoil j which denied this was a denial of the 
in the sense of plunder, rob, as when | doctrine which they had been taught, 
plunder is taken in war. The mean- and against every thing that would go 
ing is, " Take heed lest any one plun- | to undermine this they were especial- 
der or rob you of your faith and hope ly to be on their guard. Almost all 
by philosophy." These false teachers heresy has been begun by some form 
would strip them of their faith and j of the denial of the great central truth 
hope, as an invading army would rob j that the Son of God became incarnate, 
a country of all that was valuable. | and died to make atonement for sin. 
If Through philosophy. The Greek phi- H All the fullness. See Notes on ch. i. 
losophy prevailed much in the regions I 19. H Of the Godhead. Of the divin- 
around Colosse, and perhaps also the | ity, the divine nature— 3** ot»js. The 
Oriental or Gnostic philosophy. See j word is one that properly denotes the 
thelntrod. They were exposed to the 1 divine nature and perfections. — Rob- 
influences of these plausible systems. i inson, Lex. It occurs nowhere else in 
That philosophy consisted much of [ the New Testament. Bodily— aw^xa- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



249 



which is the head a of all princi- 
pality and power ; 

a 1 Pet. 3. 22. 

Tt/ccos. This word also is found no- 
where else in the New Testament, 
though the adjective bodily — aw/uaTt- 
k6s — occurs twice : Luke iii. 22, " in a 
bodily shape;" and 1 Tim. iv. 8, "for 
bodily exercise protiteth little." The 
word means "having' a bodily appear- 
ance instead of existing or appearing 
in a spiritual form;" and the fair sense 
of the phrase is, that the fullness of 
the divine nature became incarnate, 
and was indwelling in the body of the 
Redeemer. It does not meet the case 
to say, as Crellius does, that the 
"whole divine will was in him," for 
the word S'eoTtjs— Godhead— does not 
mean the will of God ; and it is as cer- 
tainly true that the inspired prophets, 
were under the control of the divine 
will as that the Saviour was. Nor 
can it mean, as Socinus supposes, that 
the fullness of divine knowledge dwelt 
in him, for this is not the proper 
meaning of the word (^toV^s) God- 
head; nor can it mean, for the same 
reason, that a fullness of divine gifts 
was intrusted to him. The language 
is such as would be properly employed 
on the supposition that God became 
incarnate, and appeared in human 
form ; and there is no other idea which 
it so naturally expresses, nor is there 
any other which it can be made to ex- 
press without a forced construction. 
The meaning isfthat it was not any 
one attribute of the Deity that became 
incarnate in the Saviour; that he was 
not merely endowed with the knowl- 
edge, or the power, or the wisdom of 
God; but that all which is properly 
expressed by the word God, or divin- 
ity, thus became incarnate, and ap- 
peared in human form. Comp. John 
xiv. 9; i. 18. No language could there- 
fore more clearly demonstrate the di- 
vinity of Christ. Of what mere man 
— of what angel, could it be used? 

10. And ye are complete in him. Hav- 
ing no need, for the purposes of salva- 
tion, of any aid to be derived from the 
philosophy of the Greeks or the tra- 
ditions of the Jews. All that is nec- 
essary to secure your salvation is to 
be found in the Lord Jesus. There is 
a completion, or a filling up, in him, so 
as to leave nothing wanting. Comp. 
Notes on John i. 16. This is true in 
respect (1.) to the ivisdom which is 
L 2 



11 In whom also ye are circum- 
cised with the circumcision b made 

6Jer.4.4. Phil. 3. 3. 

needful to guide us; (2.) the atonement 
to be made for sin ; (3.) the merit by 
which a sinner can be justified; and 
(4.) the grace which is needful to sus- 
tain us in the trials, and to aid us in 
the duties of life. Comp. Notes on 1 
Cor. i. 30. There is no necessity, 
therefore, that we should look to the 
aid of philosophy, as if there was a de- 
fect in the teachings of the Saviour; 
or to human strength, as if he were 
unable to save us; or to the merits 
of the saints, as if those of the Re- 
deemer were not sufficient to meet all 
our wants. The sentiment advanced 
in this verse would overthrow the 
whole papal doctrine of the merits of 
the saints, and, of course, the whole 
doctrine of papal "indulgences." 
^ Which is the head. See Notes on 
Eph. i. 21, 22. 

11. In whom. In connection with 
whom, or in virtue of whose religion. 
Tf Ye are circumcised. You have re- 
ceived that which w T as designed to be 
represented by circumcision — the 
putting away of sin. See Notes on 
Philip, iii. 3. If With the circumcision 
made without hands. That which is 
made in the heart by the renunciation 
of all sin. The Jewish teachers insist- 
ed on the necessity of the literal cir- 
cumcision in oi der to salvation ( comp. 
Eph. ii. 11), and hence this subject is 
so often introduced into the writings 
of Paul, and he is at so much pains to 
show that, by believing in Christ, ail 
is obtained which is required in order 
to salvation. Circumcision was an 
ordinance which denoted that all s u 
was to be cut off or renounced, and 
that he who was circumcised was to 
be devoted to God and to a holy life. 
All this, the apostle says, was obtain- 
ed by the Gospel ; and, consequently, 
they had all that was implied by the 
ancient rite of circumcision. What 
Christians had o btai ned, moreover, 
related to the heart ; it was not a mere 
ordinance pertaining to the flesh. 1 Tn 
putting off the body of the sins of the 
flesh. That is, in renouncing the 
deeds of the flesh, or becoming holy. 
The word " body," here, seems to be 
used with reference to circumcision. 
In that ordinance, the body of the 
flesh was subjected to the rite; with 
Christians, it is the body of sin that is 



•150 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A D. 64, 



without hands, in putting off the 
body of the sins of the flesh by 
the circumcision of Christ : 

12 Buried a with him in baptism, 
wherein also ye are risen with Mm 
through the faith of the operation 
b of God, who hath raised him 
from the dead. 

a Rom. 6. 4, 5. 6 Eph. 1.19. 

cut off. H By the circumcision of Oh rist. 
Not by the fact that Christ was cir- 
cumcised, but that we have that kind 
of circumcision which Christ estab- 
lished, to wit, the renouncing of sin. 
The idea of the apostle here seems to 
be, that since we have thus been en- 
abled by Christ to renounce sin, and 
to devote ourselves to God, we should 
not be induced by any plausible argu- 
ments to return to an ordinance per- 
taining to the flesh, as if that were 
needful for salvation. 

12. Buried with him in baptism. See 
Notes on Rom. vi. 4. Tf Wherein also. 
In which ordinance, or by virtue of 
that which is signified by the ordi- 
nance. % Ye are risen with him. From 
t he death, of sin to the life of religion. 
See Notes on Rom. vi. 4, 5. Compare 
Notes on Eph, ii. 5, 6. ^ Through the 
faith of the operation of God. By a 
firm belief of the agency of God" in 
raising him up ; that is, a belief of the 
fact that God has raised him from the 
dead. The resurrection of Christ is 
often represented as the foundation 
of all our hopes ; and, as he was raised 
from the grave to die no more, so, in 
virtue of that, we are raised from the 
death of sin to eternal spiritual life. 
The belief of this is shown by our bap- 
tism, whatever be the mode in which 
that ordinance is performed, and is as 
icell shown in one mode as another. 

13. And you, being dead in your sins. 
See Notes on Eph. ii. 1. ^ And the 
uncircumcision of your flesh. That is, 
being Gentiles, and giving unrestrain- 
ed indulgence to the desires of the 
flesh. They lived as those who had 
not by any religious rite or covenant 
brought themselves under obligations 
to lead holy lives. Hath he quicken- 
ed. See Notes on Eph. ii. 1. 1 To- 
gether vAth him. In virtue of his be- 
ing restored to life. That is, the res- 
urrection of the Lord Jesus was the 
means of imparting to us spiritual life. 

14. Blotting out the handwriting. The 
word rendered handwriting means 



13 And e you, being dead in your 
sins and the uncircumcision of 
your flesh, hath he quickened to- 
gether with him, having forgiven 
you all trespasses ; 

14 Blotting d out the handwriting 
of ordinances that was against us, 
which was contrary to us, and 

cEph, 2. 1,5, 11. d Eph. 2. 15,16. 

something written by the hand, a 
manuscript; and here, probably, the 
writings of the Mosaic law, or the law 
appointing many ordinances or ob- 
servances in religion. The allusion 
is probably to a written contract, in 
which we bind ourselves to do any 
work, or to make a payment, and 
which remains in force against us un- 
til the bond is canceled. That might 
be done either by blotting out the 
names, or by drawing lines through 
it, or, as appears to have been prac- 
ticed in the East, by driving a nail 
through it. The Jewish ceremonial 
law is here represented as such a con- 
tract, binding those under it to its 
observance until it was nailed to the 
cross. The meaning here is, that the 
burdensome requirements of the Mo- 
saic law are abolished, and that its ne- 
cessity is superseded by the death of 
Christ. His death had the same ef- 
fect, in reference to those ordinances, 
as if they had been blotted from the 
statute-book. This it did by fulfilling 
them ; by introducing a more perfect 
system; "and by rendering their ob- 
servance no longer necessary, since all 
that they were designed to typify had 
been now accomplished in a better 
way * Compare Notes on Eph ii. 15. 
If Of ordinances. Prescribing the nu- 
merous rites and ceremonies of the 
Jewish religion. ^ That was against 
us. That is, against our peace, hap- 
piness, comfort; or, in other words, 
which was oppressive and burden- 
some. See Notes on Acts xv. 10. 
Those ordinances bound and fettered 
the soul, restrained the expansive 
spirit of true piety which seeks the 
salvation of all alike, and thus oper- 
ated as a hinderance to the enlarged 
spirit of true religion. Thus they re- 
ally operated against the truly pious 
Jew, whose religion would lead him 
to seek the salvation of the world; 
and against the Gentile, since he was 
not in a situation to avail himself of 
them, and since they would be bur- 



A.D. 64.1 



CHAPTER II. 



251 



took it out of the way, nailing it 
to his cross ; 
15 And having a spoiled princi- 

aPsa.68. 18. Isa.53. 12. Luke 10. 18 . 11. 22. Jno. 
12.31. Heb.2. 14. 



densome if he could. It is in this 
sense, probably, that the apostle uses 
the word"MS," as referring to all, and 
as cramping and restraining the true 
nature of religion. ^ Which was con- 
trary to us. Which operated as a hin- 
derance or obstruction in the matter 
of religion. The ordinances of the 
Mosaic law were necessary in order to 
introduce the Gospel ; but they were 
always burdensome. They were to 
be confined to one people; and, if 
they were continued, they would op- 
erate to prevent the spread of the true 
religion around the world. Compare 
Notes on 2 Cor iii. 7, 9. Hence the 
exulting language of the apostle in 
view of the fact that they were now 
taken away, and that the benefits of 
religion might he diffused every 
where. The Gospel contains nothing 
which is "against," or "contrary to" 
the true interest and happiness of any 
nation or any class of men. ^And 
took it out of the way. Gr., " Out of the 
midst;" that is, he wholly removed 
it. He has removed the obstruction, 
so that it no longer prevents union 
and harmony between the Jews and 
the Gentiles. ^Nailing it to his cross. 
As if he had nailed it to his cross, so 
that it would be entirely removed out 
of our way. The death of Jesus had 
the same effect, in regard to the rites 
and institutions of the Mosaic relig- 
ion, as if they had been affixed to his 
cross, and as if they had been crucified 
with him. It is said that there is an 
allusion here to the ancient method 
by which a bond or obligation was 
canceled, by driving a nail through it, 
and affixing it to a post. This was 
practiced, says Grotius, in Asia. In a 
somewhat similar manner, in our 
banks now, a sharp instrument, like 
the blade of a knife, is driven through 
a check, making a hole through it, 
and furnishing to the teller of the 
bank a sign or evidence that it has 
been paid. If this be the meaning, 
then the expression here denotes that 
the obligation of the Jewish institu- 
tions ceased on the death of Jesus, as 
if he, had taken them and nailed them 
to his own cross, in the manner in 
which a bond was canceled. 



palities and powers, he made a 
shew of them openly, triumphing 
over them in 1 it. 

1 or, himself. 



15. And having spoiled. Plundered ; 
as a victorious army does a conquered 
country. See Notes on ver. 8. The 
terms used in this verse are all mili- 
tary, and the idea is, that Christ has 
entirely subdued our enemies by his 
death. A complete victory was 
achieved by his death, so that every 
thing is now in subjection to him, and 
we have nothing to fear. ^Principal- 
ities and powers. See Notes on Eph. i. 
21; vi. 12. The 4 1 principalities and 
powers" here referred to are the for- 
midable enemies that had held man in 
subjection, and prevented his serving 
God. There can be no doubt, I think, 
that the apostle refers to the ranks of 
fallen evil spirits which had usurped 
a dominion over the world. See Notes 
on John xii. 31. Eph. ii. 2. The Sav- 
iour, by his death, wrested the domin- 
ion from them, and seized upon what 
they had captured as a conqueror 
seizes upon his prey. Satan and his 
legions had invaded the earth ; drawn 
its inhabitants into captivity; and had 
subjected them to his evil reign. 
Christ, by his death, subdues the in- 
vaders and recaptures those whom 
they had subdued. ^He made a shoio 
of them openly. As a conqueror, re- 
turning from victory, displays in a 
triumphal procession the kings and 
princes whom he has taken, and the 
spoils of battle. This was commonly 
done when a "triumph" was decreed 
for a conqueror. On such occasions, 
it sometimes happened that a consid- 
erable number of prisoners were led 
along amid the scenes of triumph. 
See Notes on 2 Cor. ii. 14. Paul says 
that this was now done u openly" — 
that is, it was in the face of the whole 
universe — a grand victory — a glorious 
triumph over all the powers of hell. 
It does not refer to any public pro- 
cession or display on the earth, but to 
the grand victory as achieved in view 
of the universe, by which Christ, as a 
conqueror, dragged Satan and his le- 
gions at his triumphal car. Compare 
Rom. xvi. 20. H Triumphing over them 
in it. Margin, u or, himself." Either 
" by the cross" or "by himself." Or 
it may mean, as Rosenmuller suggests, 
that God (verse 12) triumphed over 



252 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



16 Let no man, therefore, judge c 
you in 1 meat, or in drink, or in ' 

a Rom. 14. 10.13. 



these* foes in him ; that is, in Christ. 
The sense is substantially the same, 
that this triumph was effected by the 
atonement made for sin by the Re- 
deemer. See the word triumph ex- 
plained in the Notes on 2 Cor. ii. 14. 
The meaning of all this is, that since 
Christ has achieved for us such a vic- 
tory, and has subdued all the foes of 
man, we should not be led captive, but 
should regard ourselves as freemen. 
We should not be made again the 
slaves of custom, or habit, or ritual, 
observances, or superstitious rites, or 
any thing whatever that has its origin 
in the kingdom of darkness. We are 
bound to assert and to use our free- 
dom, and should not allow any hostile 
power, in the form of philosophy or 
false teaching of any kind, to plunder 
or " spoil" us. Ver. 8. The Christian 
is a freeman. His great Captain has 
subdued all his enemies, and he should 
not allow them again to set up their 
dark empire over his soul. The argu- 
ment of the apostle in these verses 
(13-15) is derived from what Christ 
has done for us. He mentions four 
things: (1.) He has given us spiritual 
life ; (2.) he has forgiven all our tres- 
passes ; (3.) he has blotted out or 
abolished the " ordinances" that were 
against us ; and (4.) he has triumphed 
over all our foes. From all this he 
infers (ver. 16 seq.) that we should not 
be made captive or subdued by any of 
the rites of superstition, or any of the 
influences of the kingdom of dark- 
ness. 

16. Let no man, therefore, judge you. 
Comp. Notes on Rom. xiv. 10-13. The 
wov&judge here is used in the sense of 
pronouncing a sentence. The mean- 
ing is, " since you have thus been de- 
livered by Christ from the evils which 
surrounded you ; since you have been 
freed from the observances of the law, 
let no one sit in judgment on you, or 
claim the right to decide for you in 
those matters. You are not respon- 
sible to man for your conduct, but to 
Christ; and no man has a right to im- 
pose that on you as a burden from 
which he has made you free." ^ In 
meat. Margin, for eating and drinking. 
The meaning is, u in respect to the 
various articles of food and drink." 
There is reference here, undoubtedly, 



respect of a holy day, or of the 
new moon, or of the sabbath days: 

1 ox, for eating and drinking. "2 or, in part. 



to the distinctions which the Jews 
made on this subject, implying that 
an effort had been made by Jewish 
teachers to show them that the Mosa- 
ic laws were binding on all. If Or in 
respect of a holy day. Margin, in part. 
The meaning is, u in the part, or the 
particular of a ho lyd ay; that is, in 
respect to it." The word rendered 
" holy day' ' — sopWi — means properly 
a feast cr festival; and the allusion here 
is to the festivals of the Jews. The 
sense is, that no one had a right to 
impose their observance on Chris- 
tians, or to condemn them if they did 
not keep them. They had been de- 
livered from that obligation by the 
death of Christ. Ver. 14. 1 Or of the 
new moon. On the appearance of the 
new moon, among the Hebrews, in ad- 
dition to the daily sacrifices, two bul- 
locks, a ram, and seven sheep, wi^a 
meat-offering, were required to be pre- 
sented to God. Numb. x. 10; xxviii. 
11-14. The new moon in the begin- 
ning of the month Tisri (October) was 
the" beginning of their civil year, and 
was commanded to be observed as a 
festival. Lev. xxiii. 24, 25. \ Or of 
the Sabbath days. Gr., " of the Sab- 
baths." The word Sabbath in the Old 
Testament is applied not only to the 
seventh day, but to all the days of 
holy rest that were observed by the 
Hebrews, and particularly to the be- 
ginning and close of their great festi- 
vals. There is, doubtless, reference 
to those days in this place, as the word 
is used in the plural number, and the 
apostle does not refer particularly to 
the Sabbath properly so called. There 
is no evidence, from this passage, that 
he would teaetr*that there was no ob- 
ligation to observe any holy time, for 
there is not the slightest reason to be- 
lieve that he meant to declare that one 
of the Ten Commandments had ceased 
to be binding on mankind. If he had 
used the word in the singular number 
—"the Sabbath" it would then, of 
course, have been clear that he meant 
to affirm that that commandment had 
ceased to be binding, and that a Sab- 
bath was no longer to be observed. 
But the use of the term in the plural 
number, and the connection, show 
that he had his eye on the great num- 
ber of days whieh were observed by 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAP'J 



TER II. 



253 



17 Which are a shadow a of 
things to come ; but the body is 
of Christ. 

aHeb.8. 5. b Rev. 3. 11. 



the Hebrews as festivals, as a part of 
their ceremonial and typical law, and 
not on the moral law, or the Ten Com- 
mandments. No part of the moral 
law — no one of the Ten Command- 
ments could be spoken of as "a shad- 
ow of good things to come. 1 ' These 
commandments are, from the nature 
of moral law, of perpetual and univer- 
sal obligation. 

17. Which are a shadow of things to 
come. See Notes on Heb. viii. 5; x. 1. 
They were only a dim outline of fu- 
ture things, not the reality. ^But the 
body is of Christ. The reality, the 
substance. All that they signified is 
of or in Christ. Between those things 
themselves which are in Christ, and 
those which only represented or pre- 
figured them, there is as much differ- 
ence as there is between a body and a 
shadow — a solid substance and a mere 
outline. Having now, therefore, the 
thing itself the shadow can be to us 
of no value; and that having come 
which was prefigured, that which was 
designed merely to represent it is no 
longer binding. 

18. Let no man beguile you of your re- 
ward. Marg., judge against you. The 
word here used — KaTaftpafisuu) — oc- 
curs nowhere else in the New Testa- 
ment. It is a word which was em- 
ployed with reference to the distribu- 
tion of prizes at the' Grecian games, 
and means to give the prize against any 
one; to deprive of the palm. Hence it 
means to deprive of a due reward ; and 
the sense here is, that they were to be 
on their guard lest the "reward" — 
the crown of victory to which they 
looked forward— should be wrested 
from them by the arts of others. 
That would be done if they should be 
persuaded to turn back, or to falter in 
the race. The only way to secure the 
prize was to hold on in the race which 
they were then running; but if they 
yielded to the philosophy of the 
Greeks, and the teachings of the Jews, 
they would be defrauded of this re- 
ward as certainly as a racer at the 
games would if the crown of victory 
should be unjustly given to another. 
In this case, too, as real injustice 
would be done, though the apostle 



18 Let b no man 1 beguile you of 
your reward, 2 in a voluntary hu- 
mility and worshipping of angels, 

1 or, judge against you. 

2 being a voluntary in humility. 



does not say it would be in the same 
manner. Here it would be by art; 
in the case of the racer it would be 
by a wrong decision — but in either case 
the crown 'was lost. This exhortation 
has the more force from this consid- 
eration. Against an unjust judge we 
could have no power; but we may 
take care that the reward be not 
wrested from us by fraud. a vol- 

untary humility. Margin, " being a vol- 
untary in humility." Tindal renders 
this, "Let no man make you shoot at 
a wrong mark, which, after his own 
imagination, walketh in the humble- 
ness of angels." The word used here 
— TaTTELuocppoavvj) — means lowliness of 
mind, modesty, humbleness of deport- 
ment; and the apostle refers, doubt- 
less, to the spirit assumed by those 
against whom he would guard the 
Colossians — a spirit of modesty or of 
humble inquirers. The meaning is, 
that they would not announce their 
opinions with dogmatic certainty, but 
that they would put on the appear- 
ance of great modest}'. In this way 
they would become really more dan- 
gerous — for no false teachers are so 
dangerous as those who assume the 
aspect of great humility, and who 
manifest great reverence for divine 
things. The word rendered " volun- 
tary" here — 5rt\u>v — does not properly 
belong to the word rendered u humil- 
ity." It rather appertains to the 
subsequent part of the sentence, and 
means that the persons referred to 
were willing, or had pleasure in at- 
tempting to search into the hidden 
and abstruse things of religion. They 
were desirous of appearing to do this 
with a humble spirit— even with the 
modesty of an angel — but still they 
had pleasure in that profound and 
dangerous kind of inquiry. ^And 
worshipping of angels — SrpriaKEta twv 
ayyiXwv. This does not meanj as it 
seems to me, that they would them- 
selves worship angels, or that they would 
teach others to do it; for there is no 
reason to believe this. Certainly the 
Jewish teachers, whom the apostle 
seems to have had particularly in his 
eye, would not do it, nor is there any 
evidence that any class of false teach- 



254 



COLOSSIAXS. 



[A.D. 64, 



intruding a into those things which 
he hath not seen, vainly puffed up 
by his fleshly mind ; 

19 And not holding the Head, 5 
from which all the body by joints 



aDeut. 29.29. Job 38. 2. 



b Eph. 4. 15, 16. 



and bands having nourishment 
ministered, and knit together, in- 
creaseth with the increase of God. 

20 Wherefore, if ye be dead with 
Christ from the 1 rudiments of the 



ers would deliberately teach that an- 1 
gels were to be worshipped. The ref- ! 
erence is rather to the profound rev- ! 
erence; the spirit of lowly piety which 
the angels evinced, and to the fact that 
the teachers referred to would assume 
the same spirit, and were, therefore, 
the more dangerous. They would 
come professing profound regard for 
the great mysteries of religion, and 
for the incomprehensible perfections 
of the divinity, and would approach 
the subject professedly with the awful 
veneration which the angels have ! 
when they "look into these things." j 
1 Peter i. 12. There was no bold, ir- j 
reverent, or confident declamation, 
but the danger in the case arose from 
the fact that they assumed so much 
the aspect of modest piety; so much 
the appearance of the lowly devotion : 
of angelic beings. The word here I 
rendered worship — SprjaKELa — occurs j 
in the New Testament only here; in 
Acts xxvi. 5; and James i. 26, 27, in 
each of which places it is rendered re- \ 
ligion. It means here the religion, or ! 
the spirit of humble reverence and 
devotion which is evinced by the an- j 
gels ; and this accords well with the i 
meaning in James i. 26, 27. ^Intrud- j 
ing into those things which he hath not 
seen. Or inquiring into them. The 
word used here — £/z/3aT£iW — means 
to go in, or enter; then to investigate, 
to inquire. It has not, properly, the \ 
meaning of intruding, or of imperti- 
nent inquiry (see Passow), ana I do j 
not see that the apostle meant to j 
characterize the inquiry here as such. 
He says that it was the object of their 
investigations to look, with great pro- 
fessed modesty and reverence, into 
those things which are not visible to 
the eye of mortals. The "things" | 
which seem here to be particularly 
referred to are the abstruse questions 
respecting the mode of the divine; 
subsistence; the ranks, orders, and 1 
employments of angelic beings; and: 
the obscure doctrines relating to the 
divine government and plans. These j 
questions comprised most of the sub- j 
jects of inquiry in the Oriental and 



Grecian philosophy, and inquiries on 
these the apostle apprehended would 
tend to draw away the mind from the 
"simplicity that is in Christ." Of 
these subjects what can be known 
more than is revealed ? % Vainly puff- 
ed up by his fleshly mind. Notwith- 
standing the avowed "humility," the 
modesty, the angelic reverence, yet the 
minds of such teachers were really 
full of vain conceit, and of self-confi- 
dent, carnal wisdom. The two things 
are by no means incompatible, the 
men apparently most meek and mod- 
est being sometimes the most bold in 
their speculations, and the most reck- 
less in regard to the great landmarks 
of truth. It is not so with true mod 
esty and real "angelic veneration," 
but all this is sometimes assumed for 
the purpose of deceiving, and there is 
a native appearance of modesty which 
is by no means an index of the true 
feelings of the soul. The most meek 
and modest men in appearance are 
sometimes the most proud and reck- 
less in their investigations of the doc- 
trines of religion. 

19 And not* holding the Head. Not 
holding the true doctrine respecting 
the Great Head of the Church, the 
Lord Jesus Christ. See Notes on Eph. 
i. 22. This is regarded here as essen- 
tial to the maintenance of all the oth- 
er doctrines of religion. He who has 
just views of the Redeemer will not 
be in much danger of erring respect- 
ing the other points of religious be- 
lief. ^From which all the body, etc. 
This passage is almost word for word 
the same as in Eph. iv. 15, 16. See it 
explained in the Notes there. 

20. Wherefore. In view of all that 
has been said. If it be true that you 
are really dead to the world, why do 
you act as if you still lived under the 
principles of the world? ^ If ye be 
dead with Christ. If you are dead to 
the world in virtue of his death. The 
apostle here, as elsewhere, speaks of 
a very close union with Christ. We 
died with him; that is, such was the 
efficacy of his death, and such is our 
union with him, that we became dead 



A.D.64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



255 



world, why, as though living in 
the world, are ye subject to ordi- 
nances 



21 (Touch not; taste not; han- 
dle not ; 

22 Which all are to perish with 



also to the world. See Notes on Rom. 
vi. 2, 4, 8, 11. If From the rudiments of 
the world. Margin, elements. The ele- 
ments or principles which are of a 
worldly nature, an<? which reign 
among worldly men. See Notes on 
Gal. iv. 3. Tf Why, as though living in 
the world. Why do you allow them to 
influence you, as though you were liv- 
ing and acting under those worldly 
principles? They ought no more to 
do it than the things of this world 
actually influence those who are in 
their graves. If Are ye subject to ordi- 
nances. The rites and ceremonies of 
the Jewish religion. See Notes on 
Gal. v. 1-4. 

21. Touch not ; taste not ; handle not. 
These words seem intended as a speci- 
men of the kind of ordinances which 
the apostle refers to, or an imitation 
of the language of the Jewish teach- 
ers in regard to various kinds of food 
and drink. "Why are ye subject to 
ordinances of various kinds, such as 
this — Touch not, taste not, handle 
not?" That is, such as prohibit you 
from even touching certain kinds of 
food, or tasting certain kinds of drink, 
or handling certain prohibited things. 
The rapid succession of the words 
here, without any connecting particle, 
is supposed to denote the eagerness of 
the persons who imposed this injunc- 
tion, and their earnestness in warning 
others from contaminating them- 
selves with the prohibited things. 
Many injunctions of this kind are 
found in the writings of the Jewish 
Rabbins, and the ancient Jewish sect 
of the Essenes (see Notes on Matt. iii. 
7) abounded in precept^of this kind. 
See Schoetgen, and Pictor. Bible, in loc. 
u They allowed themselves no food 
that was pleasant to the taste, but ate 
dry, coarse bread, and drank only wa- 
ter. Many of them ate nothing until 
sunset, and, if any one touched those 
who did not belong to their sect, they 
washed themselves as if they had been 
most deeply defiled. Perhaps there 
was at Colosse a society of this kind, 
as there were in many other places 
out of Judea ; and if there was, it is 
not improbable that many Christians 
imitated them in the peculiarity of 
their rules and observances." Comp. 
Jennings's Jew. Ant., i., 471, and Ros. 



Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loc. If this 
be the correct interpretation, then 
these are not the words of the apos- 
tle, forbidding Christians to have any 
thing to do with these ordinances, but 
are introduced as a specimen of the 
manner in which they who enjoined 
the observance of those ordinances 
pressed the subject on others. There 
were certain things which they pro- 
hibited, in conformity with what they 
understood to be the law of Moses ; 
and they were constantly saying, in 
regard to them, " do not touch them, 
taste them, handle them." These 
words are often used as a kind of mot- 
to in reference to the use of intoxi- 
cating drinks. They express very well 
what is held by the friends of total 
abstinence, but it is obvious that they 
had no such reference as used by the 
apostle, nor should they be alleged as 
an authority, or as an argument, in the 
question about the propriety or im- 
propriety of the use of spirituous liq- 
uors. They may as well be employed 
in reference to any thing else as that, 
and would have no authority in either 
case. Intoxicating drinks should be 
abstained from ; but the obligation to 
do it should be made to rest on solid 
arguments, and not on passages of 
Scripture like this. This passage 
could with more plausibility be 
pressed into the service of the ene- 
mies of the total abstinence societies 
than into their support, but it really 
has nothing to do with the subject 
one way or the other. 

22. Which all are to perish with the 
using. This is commonly marked as 
a part of the parenthesis, or the quo- 
tation, and there is considerable diffi- 
culty in ascertaining its true mean- 
ing. It seems most probable that 
these are the words of the apostle 
himself, thrown in in the rapidity of 
composition, and that they are not to 
be connected with the phrase u touch 
not," etc. If so, the idea is that it 
can not be of so much consequence as 
the Jewish teachers suppose to mark 
distinctly the difference between 
meats and drinks. They are all to 
perish with the use of them. Noth- 
ing is permanent about them. It can 
really, then, be of no great importance 
what is eaten, or what is drunk, pro- 



256 



COLOSSIAKS. 



[A.D. 64 5 



the using), after the command- 
ments and doctrines of men ? 

23 Which things have indeed a 
show of wisdom in will-worship, 



vided it is not in itself injurious. 
These ordinances had a value among 
the Hebrews when it was designed to 
keep them as a distinct people, but 
they had no value in themselves, so 
as to make them binding on all man- 
kind. To suppose this w r as the com- 
mon error of the Jews, and hence the 
apostle so frequently labored to show 
that the Jewish rites had no perma- 
nent value. See Notes on Rom. xiv. 
1-6. 1 Cor. viii. Compare Notes on 
Matt. xv. 17, 18. According to this in- 
terpretation, the 21st verse should be 
regarded as expressing the common 
maxim of the Jewish teachers, and the 
clause before us as the words of the 
apostle, and should be marked as a 
parenthesis. So it is marked in Hahn's 
ed. of the New Testament. ^ After the 
commandments and doctrines of men. 
Many of the ordinances on which the 
Jews insisted were those which were 
handed down by tradition. They de- 
pended on human authority only, and, 
of course, should not bind the con- 
science. Others take the words here 
to mean, u All which things tend to the 
corruption of religion {Doddridge), or 
are cause of destruction or condemna- 
tion (Hob., Lex.), by the use of these 
things, according to the command- 
ments and doctrines of these men." 

23. Which things. Which scrupulous 
observance of the numerous precepts 
enjoining rites and ceremonies, the 
observance of days, and the distinc- | 
tions between meats and drinks. 
\Have indeed a shorn of wisdom. Have 
a great appearance of piety and of re- 1 
gard for the will of God. They have 
a show of "wisdom" too, or of a| 
deep acquaintance with divine things. 
They who insist on them appear to be 
learned in what constitutes religion, 
and to have a profound insight~into 
its mysteries. Doubtless they who 
urged the obligation of these things 
laid claim to uncommon acquaint- j 
ance with the nature of religion, and ! 
pressed their observance on the 
ground of their tendency to promote 
piety, just as they always do who in- I 
sist much on the observance of relig- j 
ious rites and ceremonies. ^In will- 
worship. Voluntary worship ; that is, 



and humility, and 1 neglecting of 
the body; not in any honour to 
the satisfying of the flesh. 

1 or, punishing ; or, not sparing. 



worship beyond what God strictly re- 
quires — supererogatory service. Prob- 
ably many of yiese things they did not 
urge as being strictly required, but as 
conducing greatly to'piety. The plea 
doubtless was, that piety might be 
promoted by service rendered beyond 
what was absolutely enjoined, and that 
thus there would be evinced a spirit 
of uncommon piety— a readiness not 
only to obey all that God required, but 
even to go beyond this, and to render 
him voluntary service. There is much 
plausibility in this ; and this has been 
the foundation of the appointment of 
the fasts and festivals of the Church ; 
of penances and self-iufheted tortures; 
of painful vigils and pilgrimages ; of 
works of supererogation, and of the 
merits of the ''saints." A large part 
of the corruptions of religion have 
arisen from this plausible but deceit- 
ful argument. God knew best what 
things it was most conducive to piety 
for his people to observe; and we are 
most safe when we adhere closely to 
what he has appointed, and observe 
no more days and ordinances than he 
has directed. There is much apparent 
piety about these things ; but there is 
much wickedness of heart at the bot- 
tom, and there is nothing that more 
tends to corrupt pure religion. U And 
humility. See Notes on ver. 18. There 
is a great show of reverence for divine 
things in the manner in which they 
pursue their investigations, and in 
their humble and meek compliance 
with painful rites and ceremonies ; in 
fastings, ab^inence, and penances. 
Under all thfr there lurks often the 
worst kind of pride; for 

"Pride may be pampered while the flesh 
grows leau." 

If And neglecting the body. Putting on 
sackcloth and ashes; subjecting it to 
painful fastings and penances; appear- 
ing in the garments of squalid pover- 
ty, as if the body were not worth re- 
garding, and as if the attention were 
so much engrossed by the nobler care 
of the soul, as to be entirely regard- 
less of the body. Yet we may ob- 
serve, (1.) God made the body as well 
as the soul, and has shown his esti- 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER II. 



257 



mate of it by its "being fearfully and 
wonderfully made," and by all the 
provision which he has made for its 
wants. (2.) Religion pertains to the 
body as well as to the soul, and should 
teach a man properly to regard it. 
Man is under obligation so to take 
care of the body as to have the most 
health and the longest life possible in 
the service of his Creator, and so as 
to be able to employ it in the best 
manner. There is no religion in rag- 
ged or squalid clothing, in a dirty face, 
in offensive personal habits, in fllth 
and defilement, and in setting at defi- 
ance the decencies of life. (3.) Much 
affected sanctity may exist where 
there is a most proud and corrupt 
heart. A long fac£, a demure counte- 
nance, a studied disregard of the de- 
cencies of dress and the courtesies of 
life, as if they were unworthy of no- 
tice, may be the exponent of the most 
hateful pride, and of the basest pur- 
poses of the soul. A man should be 
on his guard always against one who, 
under pretence of extraordinary sanc- 
tity, professes to despise the ordinary 
dress and usages of society. 1 Not in 
any honor. That is, there is no real 
honor in these things ; there is noth- j 
ing to ennoble and elevate the soul ; 
nothing that is to be commended, j 
IT To the satisfying of the flesh. The ' 
only effect is to satisfy or please the 
flesh ; that is, the carnal and corrupt 
nature, for so the word flesh is often 
used in the Scriptures. The effect of 
these observances, on which so much 
stress is laid as if they would promote 
piety, is merely to gratify pride, self- 
righteousness, the love of distinction, 
and the other carnal propensities of 
our nature. There seems to be a great 
deal of humility and piety in them ; 
there is really little else than pride, 
selfishness, and ambition. 

REMARKS. 

1. We should feel a deep interest for 
the welfare of other Christians, even 
those whom we have never seen. Vs. 
1, 2. All belong to the same family; 
have the same enemies to contend 
with; are engaged in the same war- 
fare; are traveling to the same heav- 
en. By our prayers and sympathy we 
may often do much good to those 
whom we shall never see till we meet 
them in heaven. 

2. We should be on our guard against 
the seductive arts of false teachers. 



They are often plausible ; they can 
urge arguments which we may not be 
able to "answer; they may have much 
more learning than we have; and they 
may put on the appearance of great 
humility and of real piety. Vs. 3, 4. 

3. It is, in general, a safe rule for a 
Christian to abide by the views which 
he had on the great subjects of relig- 

j ion when he became converted. Ver. 
6. Then the heart was tender and soft 
— like wax — and received the impres- 
sion which the Spirit made on it. 
There are some things in which the 
heart judges better than the head, and 
in which we are quite as likely to go 
right if we follow the former as if we 
follow the latter. In relation to the 
performance of many of the duties of 
life — the duties of kindness and char- 
ity — the heart is often a more safe 
guide than the head; and so in many 
things pertaining more immediately 
to religion, a man is more likely to 
judge right if he follows the prompt- 
ings of his feelings in the happiest 
moments of piety, than he is to wait 
for the more cool and cautious course 
of mere argument. The same thing 
may be true even of many of the doc- 
trines of religion. When a sinner 
trembles on the verge of hell, he feels 
that none but an Almighty Saviour can 
deliver him, and he goes and commits 
himself to Jesus as God— and he "is not 
in danger of erring in that. He will 
be more likely to be drawn aside from 
the truth by the artful reasonings of 
the advocates of error, than he will by 
his feelings at such a moment. 

4. Our views of the "mystery of 
God" — of the divine nature, and es- 
pecially of the rank and character of 
Christ, will determine all our views 
of theology. Ver. 2. This has been 
so in all ages; and, however it may 
be accounted for, the fact is undoubt- 
ed, that if at any time we can ascer- 
tain what are the prevalent views of 
Christ, we can easily see what is the 
prevailing character of the theology 
of that age. The influence of this will 
be felt on the views which are held of 
the native character of man ; of the 
atonement; of regeneration; of the 
divine purposes ; of the nature of ho- 
liness ; and of the retributions beyond 
the grave. Hence the reason why the 
apostle Paul insisted so much on this, 
and urged so earnestly the import- 
ance of adhering to just views of the 
Saviour. 



258 



COLOSSIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



5. Christ has laid us under the high- 
est obligations to love and serve him. 
Ver. 11-15. He has enabled us to put 
off our sins; he has raised us from 
spiritual death to spiritual life; he 
has removed the old ordinances that 
were against us, and has made religion 
easy and pleasant; he has subdued 
our enemies, and triumphed over 
them. He achieved a glorious victo- 
ry over u principalities and powers," 
and has led our great enemy captive. 
He met the enemy of man when on 
earth, and overcame his power of 
temptation; he expelled him from 
the bodies of men; he laid the foun- 
dation for a permanent victory over 
him on the cross ; he triumphed over 
him when he rose and ascended to 
heaven. Satan is now a humbled foe. 
His power is broken and limited, and 
the Lord Jesus will yet completely 
triumph over him. He will return 
from heaven ; he will raise the dead ; 
and he will reascend, in the face of 
the universe, to his native skies, with 
all his ransomed hosts — the " spoils" 
of victory. We should not then fear 
what Satan can do to us, nor should 
we fear that the great enemy of the 
Church will ever be triumphant. 

" Stand up, my soul, shake off thy fears, 
And gird the Gospel armor on ; 
March to the gates of endless joy, 
Where thy great Captain Saviour's 
gone. 

" Hell and thy sins resist thy course ; 
But hell and sin are vanquish'd foes ; 
Thy Jesus nail'd them to the cross, 
And sung the triumph when he rose. 
"Then let my soul march boldly on, 
Press forward to the heavenly gate ; 
There peace and joy eternal reign, 
And glittering robes for conquerors 
wait. 

"Then shall I wear a starry crown. 
And triumph in Almighty grace, 
While all the armies of the skies 
Join in my glorious Leader's praise." 

6. No individual has a right to ap- 
point ceremonies and ordinances in 
the Church to be binding on the con- 
sciences of others, nor is this author- 
ity intrusted to any body of men. 
Ver. 16. What God has enjoined is to 
be obeyed. What man enjoins be- 
yond that is of no binding force on 
the conscience, and it is the solemn 
and sacred duty of all Christians to 
resist all such attempts to make cere- 
monial observances binding on the 
conscience. Christ has appointed a 
few ordinances of religion— and they 



j are enough. They are simple, easily 
. observed, and are all adapted to pro- 
mote piety. He appointed baptism 
I and the Lord's Supper, but he ap- 
i pointed no stated festivals or fasts ; 
| he set apart no days in commemora- 
| tion of the saints, or of his own birth 
or death; he enjoined no rites of re- 
ligion but those which are most sim- 
ple, and which are easily observed. 
He well knew how those observances 
would be abused to the purposes of 
superstition, and would obscure the 
great doctrine of justification by faith. 
He knew how ready men would be to 
! rely on them rather than on the mer- 
its of the great Sacrifice, and hence he 
appointed no ordinance w^here that 
j danger could exist. 

7. Pride is often united with appar- 
i ent humility. Ver. 18. It is easy to 
\ assume the appearance of humility in 
i the outer deportment, but no such as- 
sumed appearance reaches the heart. 

; That remains the same, whatever ex- 
; ternal appearance is assumed, until it 
is renewed by the grace of God. 

8. A meek, modest, and candid de- 
| meanor is consistent with great bold- 
! ness and daring in speculation. Ver. 

j 18. The most daring speculators in 
i religion; they who make the most 
| reckless attacks on the truth, are oft- 
en, to appearance, eminently candid, 
and even put on the aspect of angelic 
devotion. Yet they are bold " where 
angels fear to tread," and they declaim 
with confidence on subjects which 
must be forever beyond the grasp of 
the human mind. 

9. We should not infer, because a 
man is modest and humble, and be- 
cause he appears to be endued with 
uncommon meekness and piety, that 
therefore he is a good man or "a safe 
guide. Ver. 18. The teachers in Co- 

! losse against whom Paul warned the 
| Christians there appear to have been 
] men just of this stamp, and this is 
! commonly assumed by those who 
i would lead their fellow"-men into er- 
] ror. "Satan is often transformed 
; into an angel of light," 

10. We should not attempt to pene- 
; trate into those things which lie le- 

yond the grasp of the human mind. 
Verse 18. There is an outer limit to 
our investigations on all subjects, and 
| we soon reach it. In life we are to 
i act chiefly on facts, not on the reason 
j why those facts exist. When we have 
' ascertained or established a fact, our 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



259 



CHAPTER III. 

IF ye then be risen a with Christ, 
seek those things which are 

ac. 2.12. 

feet stand on a solid rock ; and there 
we shall stand securely. We act safe- 
ly and wisely if we act in view of that 
fact; we do not act safely or wisely if 
we disregard that, and act on theory 
or imagination. 

11. Many real Christians are in dan- 
ger of being u beguiled of the reward" 
which they might obtain. Verse 18. 
They are allured by the world; they 
are drawn into error by the arts of 
philosophy; they obscure the lustre 
of their piety by conformity to the 
world, and thus they lose the high rec- 
ompense which they might have ob- 
tained in heaven. For the rewards 
of heaven will be strictly in propor- 
tion to the measure of our religion 
here — the zeal, and faith, and love* 
which we evince in the cause of our 
Master. 

12. Many persons are in danger of 
losing the " reward" altogether — for 
the "reward" of a life of piety is set 
before all. Ver. 18. Heaven is offer- 
ed freely to all, and there is no one 
who might not obtain it. But, alas ! 
how many there are who are drawn 
aside by the allurements of error and 
of sin ; who are led to defer to a fu- 
ture time the great subject of prepa- 
ration for death; who spend their 
lives in disregard of the commands of 
God and the invitations of mercy, un- 
til it is too late to seek salvation, and 
they sink down to final ruin. Every 
impenitent sinner is in imminent dan- 
ger of losing his soul. The great de- 
ceiver is endeavoring to blind him, 
and decoy him down" to death, and a 
thousand snares on every side are 
spread for his feet, into which he is in 
constant danger of falling. In a world 
of allurements, where the work of 
death from the beginning has been 
carried on chiefly by deception, with 
what solicitude should man guard 
himself lest he be u beguiled of heav- 
en," and sink to a world where heav- 
en will be offered no more ! 

CHAPTER III. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. 

In the previous chapter the apostle 
had showed what a true Christian 
ought not to follow after. He had 



above, where Christ b sitteth on 
the right hand of God. 
2 Set your 1 affection on things 

l Rom. 8. 34. 1 or, mind. 

warned the Colossi ans against the 
dangers of false philosophy and the 
doctrines of erroneous teachers. In 
this chapter he teaches them what 
they ought to pursue and to seek. He 
therefore enjoins various duties in the 
different relations of life, which they 
ought to perform in such a way as to 
show that true religion had a control- 
ling influence over their hearts. He 
specifies the following: (1.) The duty 
of setting the affections on things 
above. Verses 1-4. They were risen 
with Christ (ch. ii. 12); they were dead 
to sin (ver. 3) ; they were soon to be 
like Christ (ver. 4), and they should, 
therefore, fix their affections on heav- 
enly things. (2.) The duty of morti- 
fying their corrupt passions and car- 
nal propensities. Ver. 5-8. (3.) The 
duty of speaking the truth, since they 
had put off the old man with his deeds. 
Ver. 9-11. (4.) The duty of kindness, 
gentleness,* charity, and the spirit of 
peace. Ver. 12-15. (5.) The duty of 
edifying one another by psalms and 
songs of r>raise. Vs. 16, 17. (6.) The 
duty of wives, ver. 18; (7.) of hus- 
bands, ver. 19; (8.) of children, ver. 20; 
(9.) of fathers, ver. 21; (10.) of serv- 
ants, ver. 22-25. There is a very strik- 
ing similarity between this. chapter 
and the fifth and sixth chapters of the 
Epistle to the Ephesians, and a full 
exposition of the principal subjects 
adverted to here may be found in the 
Notes there. 

1. If ye then he risen with Christ. The 
apostle in this place evidently founds 
the argument on what he had said in 
ch. ii. 12. See Notes on that passage. 
The argument is, that there was such 
a union between Christ and his peo- 
ple that in virtue of his death they be- 
come dead to sin ; that in virtue of 
his resurrection they rise to spiritual 
life; and that therefore, as Christ now 
lives in heaven, they should live for 
heaven, arTd fix their affections there. 
IT Seek th ose things wh ich are above. That 
is, seek them as the objects of pursuit 
and affection ; strive to secure them. 
1 Where Christ sitteth on the right hand 
of God. See Notes on Mark xvi. 19. 
The argument here is, that since 
Christ is there, and since he is the ob- 



260 



COLOSS1ANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



above, not a on things on the 
earth. 

3 For b ye are dead, and your life 
is hid with Christ in God. 

4 When c Christ, who is d our life, 



a 1 Jno. 2. 15. 
c Uno.3. 2. 



b Roin. 6. 2. 
d Jno. 11. 25 ; 



shall appear, then shall ye also ap- 
pear with him in glory. 

5 Mortify, 6 therefore, your mem- 
bers which are upon the earth; 
fornication, uncleanness, inordi- 

e Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 5. 24. Eph.o. 3-6. 



ject of our supreme attachment, we 
should fix our affections on heavenly 
things, and seek to be prepared to 
dwell with him. 

2. Set you?* affection. Margin, " or 
mind." Greek^'think of" — (ppovslTs. 
The thoughts should be occupied 
about the things where Christ now 
dwells ; where our final home is to be ; 
where our great interests are. Since 
we are raised from the death of sin, 
and are made to live anew, the great 
object of our contemplation should be 
the heavenly world. *fi2fot on things 
on the earth. Wealth, honor, pleasure. 
Our affections should not be fixed on 
houses and lands ; on fashion and gay- 
ety; on low and debasing enjoyments. 

3. For ye are dead. Dead to the 
world; dead to sin; dead to earthly 
pleasures. On the meaning of the 
word dead, see Notes on Rom. vi. 2. 
Eph. ii. 1. The idea of the apostle is, 
that as Christ became literally dead in 
the tomb, so we, in virtue of our con- 
nection with him, have become dead 
to sin, to worldly influences, to pleas- 
ures, and to ambition. Or, in other 
words, we are to be to them as if we 
were dead, and they had no more in- 
fluence over us than the things of 
earth had over him in the grave. See 
Notes on Rom. vi. 2. Tf And your life. 
There is still life. Though dead to one 
class of objects, you are alive to oth- 
ers. See the sentiment here expressed 
explained at large in the Notes on Gal. 
ii. 20. 1 1s hid with Christ in God. The 
language here is taken probably from 
treasure which is "hid" or concealed 
in a place of security ; and the idea is, 
that eternal life is an invaluable jewel 
or treasure, which is laid up with Christ 
in heaven where God is. There it is 
safely deposited. It has this security, 
that It is with the Redeemer, and that 
he is in the presence of God • and thus 
nothing can reach it or take it away. 
It is not left with us, or intrusted to 
our keeping — for then it might be lost, 
as we might lose an invaluable jewel; 
or it might be wrested from us; or 
we might be defrauded of it ; but it is 
now laid up far out of our sight, and 



far from the reach of all our enemies, 
and with one who can "keep that 
w r hich we have committed to him 
against that day." 2 Tim. i. 12. Our 
eternal life, therefore, is as secure as 
it could possibly be made. The true 
condition of the Christian is, that he 
is "dead" to this world, but that he 
has immortal life in prospect, and that 
i is secure, being in the holy keeping of 
; his Redeemer, now in the presence of 
I God. From this it follows that he 
' should regard himself as living for 
heaven. 

4. When Christ, who is our life. See 
| Notes on John i. 4; xi. 25. ^ Shall 

appear. In the day when he shall 
come to judge the world. If Then shall 
ye also appear with him in glory. 1 
Thess. iv. 16, 17. Christians shall then 
be raised from the dead, and ascend 
with the Redeemer to heaven. 

5. Mortify, therefore, your members. 
Since you are dead to sin and the 
world, and are to appear with Christ 
in the glories of his kingdom, put to 
death every carnal and evil propensity 
of your nature. The word mortify 
means to put to death (see Notes on 
Rom. viii. 13 ; Gal. v. 24), and the mean- 
ing here is, that they w^ere entirely to 
subdue their evil propensities so that 
they would have no remains of life ; 
that is, they were not at all to indulge 
them. The word "members" here, 
refers to the different members of the 
body as the seat of evil desires and 
passions. Comp. Notes on Rom. vi. 
13. They were wholly to extirpate 
those evil passions which he specifies 
as having their seat in the various 
members of the earthly body. ^For- 
nication. See Notes on Romans i. 29. 
•f[ Uncleanness. See Notes on Romans 
i. 24. ^Inordinate affection — tt<xSo<z. 
Rendered in Romans i. 26, "vile affec- 
tions." See Notes on that verse. In 
1 Thess. iv. 5, the Avord is rendered 
lust) which is its meaning here. ^Evil 
concupiscence. Evil desires; licentious 
passions. Rom. i. 24. H And covetous- 
ness, which is idolatry. It is remarka- 
ble that the apostle always ranks cov- 
etousness with these base and detesta- 



A D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



261 



nate affection, evil concupiscence, 
and covetousness, which is idola- 
try : 

6 For which things' sake the 
wrath of God cometh on the chil- 
dren of disobedience : 

7 In a the which ye also walked 
some time, when ye lived in them. 

8 But now ye also put off all 
these; anger, wrath, malice, blas- 



ble passions. The meaning here is, 
(1.) that it is a low and debasing pas- 
sion, like those which he had speci- 
fied; and (2.) that it enslaves the af- 
fections which properly belong to 
God, and is therefore idolatry. Of 
all base passions, this is the one that 
most dethrones God from the soul. 
See this whole passage more fully ex- 
plained in theJNotes on Eph. v. 3-5. 

6. For which things' sake, etc. See 
Notes on Eph. v. 6, where the same 
expression occurs. 

7. In the which. In all which evil 
passions. Ye also walked some time. 
You formerly lived. These were the 
common vices of the heathen. See 
Notes on Eph. v. 8. 1 Cor. vi. 10, 11. 
Comp. Notes on Rom. i. 24-32. 

8. But now ye also put off all these. All 
these which follow, as being also in- 
consistent with the Christian calling. 
H Anger, wrath. See Notes on Eph. iv. 
26. \ Malice. See Notes on Eph. iv. 
31. H Blasphemy. See Notes on Matt, 
ix. 3. The word here seems to mean 
all injurious and calumnious speak- 
ing, whether against God or man. 
^Filthy communication ont of your 
mouth. Lewd, indecent, and immod- 
est discourse. See Notes on Eph. iv. 
29. The conversation of the heathen 
every where abounds with this. Pure 
conversation among men is the fruit 
of Christianity. 

9. Lie not one to another. See Notes 
on Eph. iv. 25. H Seeing that ye ham 
put off the olorm an with his deeds. Your 
former corrupt and evil nature. See 
Notes on Eph. iv. 22. The reason for 
putting away lying, stated in Eph. iv. 
25, is, that we "are members one of 
another' 1 — or are brethren. The rea- 
son assigned here is, that we "have 
put off the old man with his deeds." 
The sense is, that lying is one of the 
fruits of sin. It is that which the cor- 
rupt nature of man naturally pro- 



phemy, filthy communication out 
of your mouth. 

9 Lie not one to another, seeing 
that ye have put off the old man 
with his deeds ; 

10 And have put on the new 
man, which is renewed b in knowl- 
edge after the image of him that 
created him : 

11 Where c there is neither Greek 

b Eph. 4. 23, 24. c Rom. 10.12. 



duces ; and when that corrupt nature 
is put off, then all which it produces 
should be put off with it. The vice 
of lying is a universal fruit of sin, and 
seems to exist every where where the 
Gospel does not prevail. Comp. Notes 
on Titus i. 12. There is, perhaps, no 
single form of sin that reigns so uni- 
versally in the heathen world. 

10. Which is renewed in knowledge. 
In Eph. iv. 24, it is said that the new 
man is "created after God in right- 
eousness and true holiness." In this 
place it is added that to the renewed 
soul knowledge is imparted, and it is 
made in that respect as man was when 
he was first created. This passage, 
in connection with Eph. iv. 24, proves 
that before man fell he was endowed 
with "righteousness, true holiness, 
and knoivledge." The knoicledge here 
referred to is not the knowledge of 
every thing, but the knowledge of God. 
Man at his creation was acquainted 
with his Maker. He resembled him 
in his capacity for knowledge. He 
was an intelligent being, and he had 
an acquaintance with the divine ex- 
istence and perfections. Comp. Notes 
on Rom. v. 12. But especialty had he 
that knowledge which is the fear of 
the Lord; that knowledge of God 
which is the result of love. Piety, in 
the Scriptures, is often represented as 
the " knowledge" of God. See Notes 
on John xvii. 3. Compare Notes on 
Eph. iii.,19. 1 After the image of him 
that created him. So as to resemble 
God. In knowledge he Was made in 
the likeness of his Maker. 

11. Where there is neither Greek nor 
Jew. See this fully explained in the 
Notes on Gal. iii. 28. The meaning 
here is, that all are on a level ; that 
there is no distinction of nation in 
the Church ; that all are to be regard- 
ed and treated as brethren, and that 
therefore no one should be false to an- 



262 



COLOSSIANS. 



f A.D. 64. 



nor Jew, circumcision nor uncir- 
cumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, 
bond nor free; but Christ is all 
and in all. 

12 Put on, therefore, as the elect 
of Grod, holy and beloved, bowels 
of mercies, kindness, humbleness 
of mind, meekness, long-suffering ; 

a Mark 11. 25. Eph.4.2,32. b Matt. 6. 14, 15. 



other, or lie to another. Circumcis- 
ion nor uncircumcision. No one is ad- 
mitted into that blessed society be- 
cause he is circumcised ; no one is ex- 
cluded because he is uncircumcised. 
That distinction is unknown, and all 
are on a level. ^Barbarians. No one 
is excluded because he is a barbarian, 
or because he lives among those who 
are uncivilized, and is unpolished in 
his manners. See the word barbarian 
explained in the Notes on Rom. i. 14. 
If Scythian. This word does not oc- 
cur elsewhere in the New Testament. 
The name Scythian is applied in an 
cieut geography to the people who 
lived on the north and northeast of 
the Black and Caspian Seas, a region 
stretching indefinitely into the un- 
known countries of Asia. They oc- 
cupied the lauds now peopled by the 
Monguls and Tartars. The name was 
almost synonymous with barbarian, 
for they were regarded as a wild and 
savage race. The meaning here is, 
that even such a ferocious and unciv- 
ilized people were not excluded from 
the Gospel, but they were as welcome 
as any other, and were entitled to the 
same privileges as others. No one 
was excluded because he belonged to 
the most rude and uncivilized portion 
of mankind. ^ Bond nor free. See 
Notes on Gal. iii. 28. ^JBut Christ is 
all and in all. The great thing that 
constitutes the peculiarity of the 
Church is that Christ is its Saviour, 
and that all are his friends and follow 
ers. Its members lay aside all other 
distinctions, and are known* only as 
his friends. .They are not known as 
Jews and Gentiles; as of this nation 
or that 5 as slaves or freemen, but they 
are known as Christians— distinguish- 
ed from all the rest of mankind as the 
united friends of the Redeemer. 
Comp. Notes on Gal. iii. 28. 

12. Put o?i, therefore, as the elect of God. 
The fact that you thus belong; to one 
and the same Church ; that you have 



13 Forbearing a one another, and 
forgiving b one another, if any man 
have a quarrel 1 against any : even 
as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 

14 And above all these things 
put on c h a r i t y* c which is d the 
bond of perfectness. 

15 And let the peace* of God 



1 or, complaint, 
d 1 Cor. 13 2,8, 13. 



o 1 Pet. 4. i 
e Phil. 4. 7. 



been redeemed by the same blood, are 
chosen by the same grace, and are all 
brethren, should lead you to manifest 
a spirit of kindness, gentleness, and 
love. ^Bowels of mercies. See Notes 
on Philip, ii. 1. ^Kindness, etc. See 
| Notes on Eph. iv. 32. The language 
I here is a little different from what it is 
j there, but the sentiment is the same. 

13. Forbearing one another. See 
| Notes on Eph. iv. 2 ^ And forgiving 
! one another. See Notes on Matt. vi. 

! 12, 14. If If any man nave a quarrel 

against any. Margin, "or complaint." 
j The word here used — fxo^<pn — occurs 

nowhere else in the New Testament. 

It means, fault found, blame, censure, 

and here denotes occasion of complaint. 

The idea is, that if another one has 

given us just occasio?i of complaint, we 

are to forgive him ; that is, we are (1 ) 

to harbor no malice against him-, (2.) 

we are to be ready to do him good as 
| if he had not given Us occasion of 

complaint ; (3 ) we are to be willing 
I to declare that we forgive him when 
! he asks it ; and (4.) we are always aft- 
1 erward to treat him as kindly as if he 

had not injured us — as God treats us 
| when he forgives us. See Notes on 

Matt, xviii. 21. 1 Even as Christ for- 
j gave you, so also do ye. Learn here 

that Christ has power to forgive sin. 

Comp Notes on Matt. ix. 6. Acts v. 
; 31. Christ forgave us (1.) freely— he 
i did not hesitate or delay when we 
| asked him; (2.) entirely— he pardoned 
I all our offences ; (3.) forever— he did it 

so as to remember our sins no more, 
! and to treat us ever on%ard as if we 
1 had not sinned. So we should forgive 

an offending brother. 

14. And above all these things. Over, 
or upon all these things. Compare 

i Notes on Eph. vi. 16. ^Charity. Love. 
See Notes on 1 Cor. xiii. 1. H Which 

| is the bond of perfectness. The bond of 
all perfection; the thing which will 
unite all other things, and make them 
complete. Comp. the parallel place 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER III. 



263 



rule in your hearts, to the which j ing and admonishing one anoth 



also ye are called in one body; 
and be ye thankful. 

16 Let the word a of Christ dwell 
in you richly in all wisdom; teach- 

a Psa.119.11. 



er in psalms, 6 and hymns, and spir 
itual songs, singing with grace in 
your hearts to the Lord. 
17 And whatsoever c ye do in 

6 Eph. 5. 19. c 1 Cor. 10. 31. 



iii Eph. iv. 3. The idea seems to be 
that love will bind all the other graces 
fast together, and render the whole 
system complete. Without love, I 
though there might be other graces 
and virtues, there would be a want j 
of harmony <and compactness in our j 
Christian graces, and this w T as neces- i 
sary to unite and complete the whole, j 
There is great beauty in the expres- j 
sion, and it contains most important 
truth. If it were possible to conceive 
that the other graces could exist 
among a Christian people, yet there 
would be a sadjncompleteness, a pain- 
ful want of harmony and union, if love 
were not the reigning principle. Nor 
faith, nor zeal, nor prophecy, nor the 
power of speaking with the tongue 
of angels, would answer the purpose. 
See this sentiment expanded in 1 Cor. 
xiii., and the effect of love more fully 
explained m the Notes on that chap- 
ter. 

15. And let the peace of God, The 
peace w T hich God gives. See Notes on 
Phil. iv. 7. H Ride in your hearts. Pre- 
side in your hearts ; sit as umpire 
there (Doddridge); govern and control 
you. The word here rendered ride — 
ftpaPeutTa) — is commonly used in ref- 
erence to the Olympic and other 
games. It means to be a director or 
arbiter of the public games ; to pre- 
side over them and preserve order, 
and to distribute the prizes to the vic- 
tors. The meaning here is, that the 
peace which God gives to the soul is 
to be to us what the brabeutes, or gov- 
ernor at the games, was to those who 
contended there. It is to preside over 
and govern the mind; to preserve ev- 
ery thing in its place; to save from 
tumult, disorder, and irregularity. 
The thought is a very beautiful one. 
The soul is liable to the agitations of 
passion and excitement— like an as- 
sembled multitude of men. It needs 
something to preside over it, and to 
keep its various faculties in place and 
order; and nothing is so well fitted 
to do this as the calm peace which re- 
ligion gives, a deep sense of the pres- 
ence of God, the desire and the evi- 



dence of his friendship, the hope of 
his favor, and the belief that he has 
forgiven all our sins. The "peace of 
God" will thus calm down every agi- 
tated element of the soul ; w r ill sub- 
due the tumult of passion, and will 
preserve the mind in healthful action 
and order— as a ruler sways and con- 
trols the passions of assembled multi- 
tudes of men. ^ To the which ye are 
also called. To which peace, t In one 
body. To be one body, or to be united 
as one. See Notes on Eph, iv. 4-6. 
*f[ And be ye thankful. For all mercies, 
and especially for your privileges and 
hopes as Christians. A spirit of thank- 
fulness, also, would tend much to pro- 
mote harm on} 7 and peace. An un- 
grateful people is commonly a tumul- 
tuous, agitated, restless, and dissatis^- 
fied people. Nothing better tends to 
promote peace and order than grati- 
tude to God for his mercies. 

16. Let the ivord of Christ. The doc- 
trine of Christ. II Dwell in you richly 
in all wisdom. Abundantly, producing 
the spirit of true wisdom. That doc- 
trine is adapted to make you wise. 
The meaning is, that they were to lay 
up the doctrines of the Gospel in their 
hearts ; to meditate upon them ; to 
allow them to be their guide, and to 
endeavor wisely to improve them to 
the best purpose, f Teaching and ad- 
monishing, etc. See this explained in 
the Notes on Eph. v 19, 20. The only 
additional thought here is, that their 
psalms and hymns were to be regard- 
ed as a method of "teaching" and u ad- 
monishing /' that is, they were to be 
imbued with truth, and to be such as 
to elevate the mind, and withdraw it 
from error and sin. Dr. Johnson once 
said that if he were allowed to make 
the ballads of a nation, he cared not 
who made the laws. It is true in a 
more important sense that he who is 
permitted to make the hymns of a 
Church need care little who preaches, 
or who makes the creed. He will 
more effectually mould the senti- 
ments of a Church than they, who 
preach or make creeds and confes- 
sions. Hence it is indispensable, in 



264 



COLOSSIAXS. 



[A.D. 64. 



word or deed, do all in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks 
to God and the Father by him. 

18 Wives/* submit yourselves 
unto your own husbands, as it is 
fit in the Lord. 

19 Husbands, love your wives, 
and be not bitter against them. 

20 Children, 6 obey your parents 
in all things; for this is well 
pleasing unto the Lord. 

21 Fathers, provoke not your 
children to anger, lest they be dis- 
couraged. 

22 Servants, 0 obey in all things 

a Eph. 5. 2-2. etc. Tit. 2. 4, 5. 1 Pet. 3. 1, etc. 

order to tbe preservation of the truth, 
that the sacred songs of a Church 
should be imbued with sound evan- 
gelical sentiment. 

17. And whatsoever ye do in word or 
deed. Whatever ye say or do— wheth- 
er relating to temporal affairs or to 
religion. The command here extends 
to all that we do. t Do all in the name 
of the Lord Jesus . Do it all because he 
requires and commands it, and with a 
desire to honor him. His authority 
should be the warrant; his glory the 
aim of all our actions and words. See 
the general sentiment here expressed 
fully illustrated in the Notes on 1 Cor, 
x. 31. T[ Giving thanks to God and the 
Father by him. Through him, or in 
his name. All our actions are to be 
accompanied with thanksgiving. See 
Notes on Phil. iv. 6. We are to en. 
gage in every duty not only in the 
name of Christ, but with thankfulness 
for strength and reason ; for the priv- 
ilege of acting so that we may honor 
him; and with a grateful remem- 
brance of the mercy of God that gave 
us such a Saviour to be an example 
and guide. He is most likely to do 
his duty well who goes to it with a 
heart overflowing with gratitude to 
God for his mercies, and he who is 
likely to perform his duties with the 
most cheerful fidelity is he who has 
the deepest sense of the divine good- 
ness in providing a Saviour for his 
lost and ruined soul. See Notes on 
2 Cor v. 14, 15. 

18. Wives, submit yourselves, etc. See 
Notes on the parallel passage in Eph. 



your masters according to the 
flesh ; not with eye-service, as men- 

. pleasers; but in singleness of 
heart, fearing God : 

I 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it 

j heartily, as to the Lord, and not 

• unto men ; 

I 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye 
shall receive the reward of the in- 
heritance ; for ve serve the Lord 

| Christ. 

j 25 But he that doeth wrong shall 
receive for the wrong which he 
hath done; and there is no re- 
spect of persons. 

b Eph. 6.1, etc. c 1 Pet. 2. 18. 

19. Husbands, love vour wives, etc. 
See Notes on Eph. v. 25-29. 
• 20. Children, obey yo»r parents, etc. 
See Notes on Eph. vi. 1^. 

21. Fathers, provoke not, etc. See 
Notes on Eph. vi. 4. If Lest they be dis- 
couraged. Lest, by your continually 
finding fault with them, they should 
lose all courage, and despair of ever 
pleasing you. There is much sound 
sense and practical wisdom in this ob- 
servation of the apostle. Children 
should not be flattered, but they should 
be encouraged. They should not be 
so praised as to make them vain and 
proud, but they should be commend- 
ed when they do well. The desire of 
praise should not be the principle 
from which they should be taught to 
act, but they should feel that the ap- 
probation of parents is a desirable 
thing, and when they act so as to de- 
serve that approbation, no injury is 
done them by their understanding it. 
He who always finds fault with a 
child; who is never satisfied with 
what he does ; who scolds, and frets, 
and complains, let him do as he will, 
breaks his spirit, and soon destroys in 
the delicate texture of the soul of the 
ofeild all desire of doing well. The 
child, in despair, soon gives over ev- 
ery effort to please. He learns to be 
sullen, morose, stupid, and indifferent 
to all the motives that can be present- 
ed to him, and becomes to a great ex- 
tent indifferent as to what he does, 
siuce all that he does meets with the 
same reception from the parent. 

22-25. ServanU, obey in all things, etc. 
See Notes on Eph. vi. 5-8. 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



265 



CHAPTER IV. 

MASTERS/ give unto your 
servants that which is just 

a Eph. 6. 9, etc. 



CHAPTER IV. 

1. Masters, give unto your servants, 
etc. See Notes on Eph. vi. 9. If That 
which is just and equal. What they 
ought to have; what is fairly their due. 
The apostle here, probably, refers to 
bondmen or slaves, and the propriety 
of this rule is apparent. Such per- 
sons were subject to their masters' 
control; their time and services were 
at their disposal, and they could not 
enforce their just and equal claims by 
an appeal to the laws. They were, 
therefore, dependent on the equity 
and kindness of their masters. There 
can be no doubt that not a few who 
were converted to the Christian faith 
were held to involuntary servitude 
(see 1 Cor. vii) ; and it is as clear that 
the apostles did not design to make a 
violent disruption of those bonds, or 
to lead the slaves to rise and murder 
their masters. See Notes on 1 Tim. 

vi. 1-4. But it is equally clear that 
they meant to represent slavery as a 
hard and undesirable condition; that 
they intended to instruct the slaves 
to embrace the earliest opportunity 
to be free which was presented (1 Cor. 

vii. 21) ; and that they meant to sug- 
gest such considerations and to lay 
down such principles as would lead 
masters to emancipate their slaves, 
and thus ultimately to abolish it. 
Among these principles are such as 
these: (1.) That all men are of one 
and the samenblood. Acts xvii. 26. 
(2.) That they are all redeemed by the 
same Saviour, and are brethren. 1 
Tim. vi. 2 ; Philem. 16. If redeemed ; 
if they are " brethren ;" if they are 
heirs of glory, they are not "chattels," 
or " things ;" and how can a Christian 
conscientiously hold or regard them 
as property ? (8.) That they should 
" render them that which was just and 
equal." What would follow from this 
if fairly applied ? What would be fust 
and equal to a man in those circum- 
stances ? Would it not be (a) to com- 
pensate him fairly for his labor; to 
furnish him an adequate remunera- 
tion fo r wh at he had e a r n e d ? But 
this would strike a blow at the root 
of slavery— for one of the elementary 
principles of it is that there must be 

M 



and equal ; knowing that ye also 
have a Master in heaven. 
2 Continue 6 in prayer, and 

b Luke 18. 1. 

"unrequited labor;" that is, the slave 
must earn as much more than he receives 
as 'will do his part in maintaining the 
master in idleness ; for it is of the very 
essence of the system that the master 
is to be maintained in indolence by 
the slaves which he owns, or just so 
far as he avails himself of the unre- 
quited labor of others. If he were 
disposed to earn his own living, he 
would not need the labor of slaves. 
No man ever yet became the perma- 
nent owner of a slave from benevolence 
to him, or because he desired to pay 
him fully for his work, or because he 
meant himself to work in order to 
maintain his slave in indolence. (5) 
If a man should in fact render to his 
slaves "that which is just and equal," 
would he not restore them to free- 
dom? Have they not been deprived 
of their liberty by injustice, and would 
not "justice" restore it? What has 
the slave done to forfeit his liberty ? 
If he should make him "equal" in 
rights to himself, or to what he is by 
nature, would he not emancipate him ? 
Has he not been reduced to his pres- 
ent condition by withholding that 
which is "equal?" Has he "equal" 
rights and "equal" privileges with 
other men? Has he not been cut off 
from them by denying him the equali- 
ty to which he is entitled in the ar- 
rangements of God's government? 
Can he be held at all without viola- 
ting all the just notions of equality? 
Though, therefore, it may be true that 
this passage only enjoins the render- 
ing of that which was "just" and 
"equal" in their condition as slaves, 
yet it contains ^principle which would 
"lay the axe at the root" of slavery, 
and would lead a conscientious Chris- 
tian to the feeling that his slaves ought 
to be free. These principles actually 
| effected the freedom, of slaves in the 
Roman empire in a few centuries aft- 
er Christianity was introduced, and 
they are destined to effect it yet all 
over the world. *\ Knowing that ye 
aho have a Master in heaven. See 
Notes on Eph. vi 0. 

2. Continue in prayer. That is, do 
not neglect it; observe it at all stated 
times; maintain the spirit of prayer, 
and embrace all proper occasions to 



266 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



watch a in the same with thanks- 
giving ; 

3 Withal praying also for us, that 
God would open b unto us a door 
of utterance, to speak the mystery 
of Christ, for which I am also in 
bonds : 

a Mark 13. 33. b 2 Tbess. 3. L 



engage in it. Comp. Notes on Luke 
xviii. 1. Eph. vi. 18. 1 Thess. iv. 17. 
•fl And watch m the same with thanksgiv- 
ing. Watch for favorable opportuni- 
ties ; watch that your mind may be in 
a right frame when you pray ; watch 
that when your mind is in a right 
frame you may not neglect to pray ; 
watch that you may not be forgetful 
of the past mercies of God when you 
pray. See Notes on Eph. vi. 18. Phil, 
iv. 6. 

3. Withal. With all the supplica- 
tions which you offer for other per- 
sons and things, or at the same time 
that you pray for them. H Praying 
also for us. See Notes on Eph. vi. 19, 
20. Compare 2 Cor. i. 11. Phil. i. 19. 
Heb. xiii. 18, 19. If That God would 
open to us a door of utterance. To 
preach the Gospel. He earnestly de- 
sired to have liberty to preach the 
Gospel, and asked them to pray that 
this might be restored to him. See 
Notes on Eph. vi. 19. To speak the 
mystery of Christ. Called in Eph. vi. 
19, the " mystery of the Gospel." See 
Notes there. 1 For which I also am in 
bonds. A prisoner at Rome. See 
Notes on Eph. vi. 20. 

4. That I may make it manifest, etc. 
See Notes on Eph. vi. 20. 

5. Walk in wisdom. That is, conduct 
uprightly and honestly. Deal with 
them on the strictest principles of in- 
tegrity, so that they may not have oc- 
casion to reproach the religion which 
you profess. ^ Toward them that are 
without. Without the pale of the 
Church, or who are not professing 
Christians. See Notes on 1 Cor. v. 12. 
They we^re surrounded by heathens, 
as Christians now are by men of the 
world. The injunction is one that re- 
quires us to act with prudence and 
propriety (h aofpia) towards them ; 
and there is perhaps not a more im- 
portant direction in the New Testa- 
ment than this. Among the reasons 
for this are the following: (1.) Men 
of the world judge of religion, not 
from the profession, but from the life 



4 That I may make it manifest, 
as I ought to speak. 

5 Walk in wisdom c toward them 
that are without, redeeming the 
time. 

6 Let your speech be always with 
grace, seasoned d with salt, that ye 

cPsa.90. 12. Eph. 5. 15, 16. d Mark 9. 50. 

of its friends. (2.) They judge of re- 
ligion, not from preaching, or from 
books, or from the conduct of its 
Founder and his apostles, but from 
what they see in the daily walk and 
conversation of the members of the 
Church. (3.) They understand the na- 
ture of religion so well as to know 
when its friends are or are not con- 
sistent with their profession. (4.) 
They set a much higher value on hon- 
esty and integrity than they do on the 
doctrines and duties of religion ; and • 
if the professed friends of religion are 
destitute of the principles of truth 
and honesty, the} 7 think they have 
nothing of any value. They may be 
very devout on the Sabbath; Very reg- 
ular at prayer-meetings; very strict in 
the observance of rites and ceremo- 
nies; but all these are of little worth 
in the estimation of the world, unless « 
attended with an upright life. . (5. ) No 
professing Christian can possibly do 
good to others who does not live an 
upright life. If you have cheated a 
man out of never so small a sum, it is 
in vain that you talk to him about the 
salvation of his soul ; if you have failed 
to pay him a debt when it was due, or 
to finish a piece of work when you 
promised it, or to tell him the exact 
truth in conversation, it is in vain for 
you to endeavor to induce him to be a 
Christian. He will feel, if he does not 
say — and he might very properly say — 
that he wants no religion which will 
not make a man honest. (6.) No man 
will attempt to do much good to oth- 
ers whose own life is not upright. He 
will be sensible of the inconsistency, 
and will feel that he can not do it with 
any sense of propriety; and the honor 
of religion, therefore, and the salva- 
tion of our fellow-men, demand that 
in all our intercourse with others we 
should lead lives of the strictest in- 
tegrity. 1 Redeeming Hie time. See 
Notes on Eph. v. 16. 

6. Let your speech. Your conversa- 
tion. In the previous verse the apos- 
tle had given a general direction that 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



267 



may know how ye ought to an- j 8 Whom I have sent unto you 
swer every man. I for the same purpose, that he might 

7 All a my state shall Tychicus ! know your estate, and comfort 
declare unto you, who is a beloved \ your hearts ; 

brother, and a faithful minister 9 With Onesimus, 6 a faithful and 
and fellow-servant in the Lord : beloved brother, who is one of you. 

a Eph.6. 21,22. b Philern. 10. 



our conduct towards those who are 
not professing Christians should be 
wise and prudent; he here gives & par- 
ticular direction in regard to our con- 
versation. U Be always with grace. Im- 
bued with the spirit of religion. It 
should be such as religion is fitted to 
produce; such as to show that the 
grace of God is in our hearts. Bloom- 
field supposes that this means u cour- 
teous and agreeable, not morose and 
melancholy." But, though this may 
be included, and though the rule here 
laid down would lead to that, it can 
not be all that is intended. It rather 
means that our conversation should 
be such as to show that we are gov- 
erned by the principles of religion, 
and that there is unfeigned piety in 
the heart. This will indeed make us 
mild, courteous, agreeable, and ur- 
bane in our conversation; but it will 
do more than this. It will imbue our 
discourse with the spirit of religion, so 
as to show that the soul is under the 
influence of love to the Redeemer. 
U Seasoned with salt. Salt, among the 
Greeks, was the emblem of wit. Here 
the meaning seems to be, that our 
conversation should be seasoned with 
piety or grace in a way similar to that 
in which we employ salt in our food. 
It makes it wholesome and palatable. 
So with our conversation. If it be not 
imbued with the spirit of piety, it is 
flat, insipid, unprofitable, injurious. 
The spirit of piety will make it what 
it should be — useful, agreeable, bene- 
ficial to mankind. This does not 
mean that our conversation is to be 
always, strictly speaking, religious — 
wherever we, may be — any more than 
our food should be mere salt; but it 
means that, whatever be the topic, the 
spirit of piety should be diffused 
through it — as the salt in our food 
should properly season it all — what- 
ever the article of food may be. H That 
ye may know how ye ought to answer ev- 
ery man. Be imbued with the spirit 
of piety, that you may not utter any 
thing that would be rash and foolish, 
but be prepared to answer any one 



who may question you about your re- 
ligion in a way that will show that you 
understand its nature, and that will 
tend to edification. See 1 Peter iii. 15. 
This remark may be extended farther. 
It may be understood as meaning also, 
11 Be imbued with the spirit of relig- 
ion, and you will be able to answer 
any man appropriately on any subject. 
If he asks you about the evidence or 
the nature of religion, you will be able 
to reply to him. If he converses with 
you onthe common topics of the day, 
you will be able to answer him in a 
mild, kind, affable spirit. If he asks 
you of things of which you are igno- 
rant; if he introduces some topic of 
science with which you are not ac- 
quainted, you will not be ashamed to 
confess your ignorance, and to seek 
instruction. If he addresses you in 
a haughty, insolent, and overbearing- 
manner, you will be able to repress 
the risings of your temper, and to 
answer him with gentleness and kind- 
ness." Comp. Luke ii. 46. 

7, 8. All my state shall Tychicus declare 
unto you. See these verses explained 
in the Notes on Eph. vi. 21, 22. 

9. With Onesimus. 0 n e s i m u s had 
been formerly a servant of Philemon, 
an inhabitant of Colosse. See Notes 
on Philem. 10. He had probably been 
recently converted; and Paul felt to- 
wards him the warm attachment of a 
brother. Philem. 16. In whsft way he 
became acquainted with him is un- 
known A more full account of him 
will be found in the Notes on the 
Epistle to Philemon. *J Who is one 
of you. That is, either who is from 
your city, or one of your own people 
and nation. It is clear from this that 
Onesimus was from Phrygia, and prob- 
ably from the city of Colosse itself. 
It would seem also that he was of a 
higher rank than is designated by the 
word "slave" now. He was, indeed, 
a "servant" — SovXo? — of Philemon, 
but would the apostle, in addressing 
the Colossians, have said that he was 
"one of them''' if lie had occupied pre- 
cisely the condition which is now de- 



268 



COLOSSIANS. 



[A.D. 64. 



They shall make known unto you ' ments: if he come unto you, re- 
all things which are done here. ceive him), 

10 Aristarchus,** my fellow-pris- 11 And Jesus, which is called 
oner, saluteth you, and Marcus, 6 sis- Justus; who are of the circumcis- 
ter's son to Barnabas (touching lion. These only are my fellow- 
whom ye received command- j workers unto the kingdom of God, 

a Acts 27. 2. b Acts 15. 37. 2 Tim. 4. 11. 

noted by the word slave? Would a Barnabas had formerly disagreed so 
minister of the Gospel now in the much as to cause a separation be- 
Northern States who should send a tween Barnabas and Paul. The ground 
letter by a runaway slave to a com ! of the disagreement was that Barna- 
ul unity of masters at the South, sa}^ bas wished to take him, probably on 
of him that he was "one of them?" i account of relationship, with them in 
Would it be kindly received, or pro- their travels ; Paul was unwilling to 
duce a good impression, if he did? take him, because he had, on one oc- 
There is reason, therefore, to think casion, departed from them. See 
that Onesimus was not a slave in the Notes on Acts xv. 37-39. They after- 
proper sense, but that he might have wards became reconciled, and Paul 
been a respectable youth who had mentions Mark here with affection, 
bound himself to service for a term j He sent for him when he sent Tychi- 
of years. Comp. Philem. 18. 1 They j cus to Ephesus, and it seems that he 
shall make known to you all things which j had come to him in obedience Lp his 
are done here. Relating to Paul him- j request. 2Tim. iv. 11. Markhadprob- 
self, and the state of the Church in \ ably become more decided, and Paul 
Rome. As the epistle which Paul sent ' did not harbor unkind and unforgiv- 
was designed not only for them, but j ing feelings towards any one. If Touch- 
to be a part of the volume of revealed ing whom ye received commandments. 
truth, he wrote only those things which What these directions were, and how 
would be of permanent interest. Oth- they were communicated, whether 
er matters he left for those who car- verbally or b} T writing, is now un- 
ried the epistle to communicate. It known. It was, not improbably, on 
would also serve to give Tychicus and | some occasion when Paul was with 
Onesimus more respectability in view them. He refers to it here in order 
of the Church at Colosse if he referred that they might know distinctly whom 
the Church to them for information ; he meant. If If he come to you, receive 
on important points. J him. In Philemon 24, Mark is men- 

10. Aristarchus, my fellow -prisoner, tioned as a "fellow-laborer" of Paul. 
Aristarchus was of Thessalouica, and It would seem probable, therefore, 
is mentioned in Acts xix. 29 ; xx. 4, as that he was not a prisoner. Paul here 
Paul's companion in his travels. In ; intimates that he was about to leave 
Acts xxvii. 2, it is said that he accom- j Rome, and he enjoins it on the Colos- 
panied him in his voyage to Rome, j sians to receive him kindly. This in- 
and from the passage before us it ap- junction may have been necessary, as 
pears that he was there imprisoned the Colossians may have been aware 
with him. As he held the same sen- of the breach between him and Paul, 
timents as Paul, and was united with and may have been disposed to regard 
him in his travels and labors, it was J him with suspicion. Paul retained no 
natural that he should be treated in malice, and now commended, in the 
the same manner. He, together with warmest manner, one from whom he 
Gaius, had been seized in the tumult j was formerly constrained to separate, 
at Ephesus and treated with violence, | 11. And Jesus, who is called Justus. 
but he adhered to the apostle in all ; The name Jesus was probably that 
ills troubles, and attended him in all ; which he bore among the Jews. Jus- 
his perils. Nothing further is certain- ; tus is a Roman name, and was prob- 
ly known of him, though "the Greeks ! ably that by which he was known 
say that he was bishop of Assamea in ' among the Romans. It was not un- 
Syria, and was beheaded with Paul at common thus to assumeanother name 
Rome, under Nero." — Oalmet. Tf And | when one went among a foreign peo- 
Jfarcus, sister' s son to Barnabas. John pie. Compare Notes on Acts xiii. 9. 
Mark, in relation to whom Paul and If Who are of the circumcision. Jews, 



A.D. 64.]% 



CHAPTER IV. 



271 



which have been a comfort unto 
me. 

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, 
a servant of Christ, saluteth you, 
al ways labouring 1 fervently a for 
you in prayers, that ye may stand 

1 or ^striving, a James 5. 16. 



b perfect and 2 complete in all the 
will of God. 

13 For I bear him record that he 
hath a great zeal for you, and 
them that are in Laodicea and 
them in Hierapolis. 



or Jewish Christians. Nothing more 
is known of Justus. ^ These only are 
my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of 
God. The word "orcfry," here, proba- 
bly refers to the faet that they only 
of all the Jews who were at Rome as- 
sisted Paul in his work. Epaphras 
and Luke were also with him at Rome, 
and doubtless aided him. H Which have 
been a comfort unto me. The more so 
because they were Jews. The other 
Jews in Rome stood aloof, and doubt- 
less endeavored to augment the trials 
of the apostle. Compare Acts xxviii. 
23-29. 

12. Epaphras. See Notes on eh. i. 
7. ^Always laboring fervently for you 
in prayers. Ma rgin, u or strivi n g. 1 ' 
Gr., agonizing. The word denotes the 
intense desire which he had for their 
salvation ; his fervent, earnest plead- 
ing for their welfare. H That ye may 

1 stand perfect and complete. Margin, as 
in Greek, filled. The desire was, that 
they might maintain their Christian 
principles unadulterated by any mix- 
ture of philosoph} 7 and error, and 
might completely perform the will of 
God in every respect. This is the ex- 
pression of a pious wish in regard to 
them, without affirming that any had 
been absolutely perfect, or that they 
would be perfect in this world. It is, 
however, a command of God that we 
should be perfect (see Matt. v. 48), and 
it is the highest wish of benevolence 
in reference to any one that he may 
be complete in moral character, and 
may do all the will of God. Compare 
Notes on 2 Cor. xiii. 9. 

13. For I bear him record. Paul had 
had abundant opportunity to know 
what were his feelings in regard to 
these churches. ^ A great zeal for you. 
A great desire to promote your wel- 
fare. 1 And them that are in Laodicea. 
Laodicea was the capital of Phrygia, 
and not far from Colosse. There was 
a Church there. See the Introduction, 
and Notes on ver. 16. ^ And them in 
Hierapolis. This was also a city in 
Phrygia, and not far from Laodicea 
and Colosse. It was situated under 



a hill to the north, and had on the 
south a large plain about five miles 
over. On the south of that plain, and 
opposite to Hierapolis, was Laodicea, 
with the River Lycus running be- 
tween them, nearer to Laodicea than 
to Hierapolis. This place is now call- 
ed by the Turks Pambuck-Kulasi, or 
the Cotton- Tower, on account of the 
white cliffs which lie round about it. 
It is now utterly forsaken and deso- 
late, but the ruins are so magnificent 
as to show that it was once one of the 
most splendid cities in the East. It 
was celebrated for the hot springs in 
its vicinity, and on account of the nu- 
merous temples erected there it re- 
ceived the name of Hierapolis, or the 
holy city. The principal deity wor- 
shipped there was Apollo. See Trav- 
els by T. Smith, B.D., 1678. Compare 
Notes on ver. 16. From the allusion 
to it here, it would seem that there 
were Christians there in the time of 
Paul, though there is no mention of a 
Church t h e r e. It is no w here else 
mentioned in the New Testament. 

14. Luke, the beloved physician. This 
was undoubtedly the author of the 
Gospel which bears his name, and of 
the Acts of the Apostles. He is men- 
tioned as the traveling companion of 
Paul in Acts xvii. 10, and appears to 
have accompanied him afterwards un- 
til his imprisonment at Rome. See 2 
Timothy iv. 11. From ver. 11 of this 
chapter, it is evident that he was not 
by birth a Jew, butj«as probably a 
proselyte. He is si™)osed to have 
been a native of Cyrene, and to have 
died in Achaia soon after the martyr- 
dom of Paul, at the advanced age of 
eighty-four. See Rob. Cal, art. Luke. 
He is here mentioned as a pfiysician, 
and in his Gospel, and in the Acts, 
there are incidental evidences that he 
was acquainted with the science of 
medicine, and that he observed the 
events which he has recorded with the 
eye of one who practiced the healing 
art. It is eas} 7 to imagine that the 
presence of a physician might have 
been of important service to "the apos- 



272 



COLOSSIANS. 



* [A.D. 64. 



14 Luke, a the beloved physician, I 16 And when c this ejDistle is read 
and Demas, greet you. among you, cause that it be read 

15 Salute the brethren which are I also in the church of the Laodice- 
in Laodicea, and Nymph as, and \ ans; and that ye likewise read 
the b church which is in his house, the epistle from Laodicea. 



a *2 Tun. 4. 10, 11. b Rom. 16. 5. 1 Cor. 16. 19. 



e 1 Thess. 5. 27. 



tie P„aul in his travels, and that his ac- 
quaintance with the art of healing 
may have aided not a little in the fur- 
therance of the Gospel. The mirac- 
ulous power of healing, possessed by 
the Saviour and his apostles, contrib- 
uted much to the success of their 
preaching; for the power of allevia- 
ting pain of body — of restoring to 
health by miracles, would not only be 
an evidence of the divine origin of 
their mission— a credential that they 
were sent from God, but would dis- 
pose those who had received such im- 
portant benefits to listen attentively 
to the message of salvation. One of 
the best qualifications in missionaries 
in modern times, in order to gain ac- 
cess to the heathen, is an . acquaint- j 
ance with the healing art. ^ And Be- \ 
mas. Demas is mentioned in two 
other places, Philem. 24, and 2 Tim. 
iv. 10. He is here spoken of with 
commendation as one in whom the 
apostle had confidence. Afterwards, 
when troubles thickened, he was not j 
found proof to the trials which threat- j 
ened him in Rome, and forsook the ! 
apostle and went to Thessalonica. He j 
did this under the influence of the 
"love of this present world," or of 
life, evidently unwilling to lay down 
his life in the cause for which Paul 
suffered. See Notes on 2 Tim. iv. 10. 
His departure, and that of the others 
on whom Paul relied in Rome, was 
one of the severest trials which he 
was called there to endure. See Notes 
on 2 Tim. iv. 16— 

15. Salute tnPbrethren wJiich are in 
Laodicea. See Notes on chap. ii. 1. ! 
^And Nymphas. This person is no- I 
where else mentioned, and nothing 
more is known of him. ^ And the 
Church which is in his house. See i 
Notes on Rom. xvi. 5. 

16. And when this epistle is read among \ 
you, cause that it be read also in the \ 
church of the Laodiceans. Laodicea was 
near to Colosse, and the Church there j 
was evidently exposed to the same 



dangers from philosophy and false 
teachers as that at Colosse. The 
counsels in this epistle, therefore, 



would be equally applicable to both. 
In 1 Thess. v. 27, the apostle also 
charges those to whom that epistle 
was addressed to see that it be " read 
unto all the holy brethren." It is ev- 
ident that the apostles designed that 
the letters which they addressed to 
the churches should be read also by 
others, and should become the perma- 
nent source of instruction to the 
friends of Christ. Laodicea, here re- 
ferred to, was the seat of one of the 
"seven churches" of Asia (Rev. iii. 
14); was a city of Phrygia, and was 
its capital. It was situated on the 
River Lycus (hence called Aaod'iKEia 
sttl Avku) — Laodicea on the Lycus), and 
stood at the southwest angle of Phryg- 
ia. Its early name appears to have 
been Diospolis, changed subsequently 
to Rhoas. The name Laodicea was 
given to it by Antiochus Theos, in 
honor of his wife Laodice. Under the 
Romans it became a very flourishing 
commercial city. It was often dam- 
aged by earthquakes, but was restored 
by the Roman emperors. It is sup- 
posed to have been destroyed during 
the inroad of Timur Beg, A.D. 1402. 
The ruins are called by the Turks JEski 
Hissar. These ruins, and the ruins of 
Hierapolis, were visited by Mr. Riggs, 
an American missionary, in 1842, who 
thus speaks of them : "These spots, 
so interesting to the Christian, are 
now utterly desolate. The threaten- 
ing expressed in Rev. iii. 10, has been 
fulfilled, and Laodicea is but a name. 
In the midst of one of the finest plains 
of Asia^Minor, it is entirely without 
inhabitant. Sardis, in like manner, 
whose Church had a name to live, but 
was dead, is now an utter desolation. 
Its soil is turned up by the plow, or 
overgrown by rank weeds; while in 
Philadelphia, since the day when our 
Saviour commended those who had 
there "kept the word of his patience," 
there has never ceased to be a nomi- 
nally Christian Church. The ruins of 
Laodicea and Hierapolis are very ex- 
tensive. The stadium of the former 
city, and the gymnasia and theatres 
of both, are the 'most complete which 



A.D. 64.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



275 



17 And say to Archippus, a Take 
6 heed to the ministry which thou 
hast received in the Lord, that 
thou fulfil it. 

18 The salutation c by the hand 

a Philem. 2. 6 1 Tim. 4. 17. 

I have any where seen. Hierapolis is 
remarkable also for the so-called fro- 
zen cascades, a natural curiosity, in its 
kind probably not surpassed for beau- 
ty and extent in the world. It con- 
sists of a deposit of carbonate of lime, 
white as the driven snow, assuming, 
when closely examined, various forms, 
and covering nearly the whole south- 
ern and western declivities of the ele- 
vation on which the city was built. 
It is visible for many miles, and has 
procured for the place the name by 
which alone Hierapolis is known 
among the Turks, of the "Cotton Cas- 
tle." The cuts on the preceding pages 
will illustrate the ruins of Laodicea 
and Hierapolis. The first is from 
Macfarlane's "Seven Apocalyptic 
Churches," the second is by Laborde. 
IF And that ye likewise read the epistle 
from Laodicea. In regard to this epis- 
tle, see Introduction, § 6. 

17. And say to Archippus. Arehip- 
pus is mentioned also in Philem. 2. 
He is not elsewhere referred to in the 
New Testament, and nothing further 
is known of him. H Take heed to the 
ministry, etc. The Greek here is ttju 
oiaKoviav, meaning the office of min- 
istering in divine things ; but it is not 
certain precisely what office he held 
there. It seems probable, from the 
language which the apostle applie#to 
him — "the ministry" — (comp. Acts i. 
17,25; vi. 4; xx. 24; xxi. 19. Rom. 
xi. 13. 1 Cor. xii. 5. -2 Cor. iii. 7, 8, 9 ; 
iv. 1 ; v. 18 ; vi. 3. Eph. iv. 12), that he 
was not a deacon, properly so called, 
but that he was a preacher of the 
word. In Philem. 2 he is mentioned 
by Paul as his "fellow-soldier," and it j 
is evident that the apostle meant to ' 



of me, Paul. Remember d my 
bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. 
Written from Rome to the Co- 

lossians, by Tychicus and 

Onesimus. 

c 2Thess.3. 17. d Heb. 13. 3, 25. 

speak of him with honor. There is 
no evidence, as has been supposed by 
some, that he intended to imply, by 
what he said, that he had been remiss 
in the performance of his duties, but 
the apostle doubtless meant to en- 
courage him, and to excite him to in- 
creased ardor and zeal in the work of 
the Lord. Comp. Notes on Acts xx. 
28. It is always proper to caution 
even the most faithful and self-deny- 
ing servants of the Lord to "take 
heed," or see to it, that they perform 
their duties with fidelity. The office 
of the ministry is such, and the temp- 
tations to unfaithfulness are so great, 
that we need constant watchfulness. 
H That thou fulfill it That there be 
nothing wanting, or lacking, in any of 
the departments of labor which you 
are called to perform. 

18. The salutation by the hand of me, 
Paxil.* Probably the rest of the epis- 
tle was written by an amanuensis. As 
was his custom, Paul affixed his own 
hand to it in the form of a salutation. 
Compare Notes on 1 Cor. xvi. 21. 2 
Thess. iii. 17. 1 Remember my bonds. 
Also evidently written by his own 
hand, to make the injunction more 
impressive. Compare Notejmi Heb. 
xiii. 3. The meaning is,^pit they 
should not forget him in his confine- 
ment. They should remember that 
he was suffering on their account (see 
Notes on chap. i. 24), and that he was 
entitled to every expression of sym- 
pathy and love. ^ Grace be with you. 
See Notes on Rom. xvi. 20. 

The subscription to this epistle is 
undoubtedly correct. See the Intro- 
duction. 



* 



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